HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002 Vol 16 No 2 Summer
2 Fisher.~ Island Gazette. Slimmer 2002
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
To the Editor:
As I leave the board of the Fishers Island
Civic Association (FICA) after many years as
both a board member and as its president, I
think that it is very imponant towrite asrrong
leaer to all the people who live, full-time or
part-time, on our beautiful Island.
fISHERS ISLAND IS IN Ble;
TROUBLE!
The main reason is that the winter popu-
lation is shrinking. People are moving away
and others are dying. When they depart, their
houses are sold to summer peoplc, who pay
lOp dollar for them. This has caused a housing
crisis dut effectively prohibits any potentially
interested new winter residents from coming
to live on fishers Island. In shan, there is NO
affordable housing available nor are there any
houses or apartments that anyone can rent.
(All of this was pointed out by Carol R.idgway
last year in her excellent letter in the Gazette.)
Because of this condition, the current num-
bers oEflre department and EMT personnel are
at rock bottom, which means that the time will
The Fishers Island Gazette is an inde-
pendent not-ror-profit publication initi~
ated with a grant from The Sanger Fund
and sustained with subscription and ad-
vertising revenue. It is published three
times a year.
Editor
Betty Ann Rnbinow
Contributors in this Issue
Tom Cashd, Nancy Hunt
Edwin Horning, Leila Hadley Luce
Carol Ridgway, Cyuthia Riley
Allison Sargent
Photographer Emeritus
Albert H. Gordon
Controller
Su-Ann Seidl
Newsstand Sales
James Hall
Circulation Support
William C. Ridgway III
SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE $15 PER
YEAR. IT'S EASY, JUST MAIL A
CHECK TO THE GAZETTEI
Fishers Island Gazette, Box 573
Fishers Island NY 06390
soon arriv<: when residents of this Island will
have LO pay for thes<: services. That means
people from off-Island will be fighting our fIres
and providing emergency medical treatmeJl( at
a HUGE increase in expense to every residem
of Fishers Island, both summer and witHer.
Finally, and perhaps most imponant, the school
is expened to have a declining number of
students in the future, which is the diren result
of the declining wimer population.
What can we do (0 reverse this terminal
trend? Here are a few suggestions, but they
represent very difficult choices for many
people. This ktt<:r will step on some (Oes, but
the point of my writing is to hit you between
the eyes and make you think!
The "summer people" must stop leaving
their responsibilities on the other side of the
water. They must begin to take an active
interest in Fishers Island. This is not just our
weekend escape where troubles lake care of
themselves. Everybody must work f()r specific
solutions or there will be nobody left to help
us. AH(Jrdable housing must be establisht:d
to attract new winter people to the Island.
Apartments need to be financed to house
these new people.
The "winter people" must also adjust:
some year-round r<:sidents do not wam new
wimer people on the Island; they do nor
encourage them to move here, and they do not
make it easy for them once they get here. This
must change! It is critical for the future of
Fishers Island. Otherwise, three things will
happen: we will all have to start paying for
fire department and EMT services, the sum-
mer people will own every new house that
comes on the marker, and the school will
eventually close.
What must be done fIrst?
1. Housing (Rental Apartments)
2. Housing (Affordable)
3. Housing (ANY KIND !!!)
NOlhing will matter unkss there IS a
place: for new residents (0 live. Summer people
must fund aHordable housing and find ways
to an ran small cortage industries to the Is-
land. Wimer people must use their local ofT-
Island connections to encourage people to
move here and then do everything in their
power both to welcome them and to include
them in their way of life.
There is more.
We despnatcly need a commuter ferry
docked at Fishers Island overnight with a
schedule that would perrnit Island residents to
commute to work at a reasonable hour, in-
stead of catching a 5:40 a.m. boat each morn-
ing. Such aschedulewould also permit Island-
ers to go to the mainland for an evening dinnn
or movie during the week or on a weekend.
The current schedule pennits only a Friday
evenlllg excursIon.
Finally, we must support our school in
developing a plan that will enable it to con-
tinue to be a cornerstone of our community,
a plan that will see the school's enrollment
grow and not shrink.
Cynics might say that these are the same
concerns that have been voiced on the Island
for the past 50 years-and they would be
right. But this is the 21" century, and while
not much on the Island has changed, the
world around it has. Small year-round Island
communities, as in Maine, are disappearing,
not growing. Our population is disappearing
too, and Fishers Island is evolving, but into
what? The farms, the hotels and the fon are all
gone. Each evolution has brought a change in
Island lifCstyk, whether we like it or not. We
must act now to salv,~ge the best of whal
remains and fashion it into something that
will survive for the next 50 years.
It would be far easier not to write this
letter. I write it because I love Fishers Island,
and I care. That is why I have spent so much
time supporting the civic association. fICA is
the only organization on the Island that brings
people together to discuss these problems, yet
mOSl of the summer people cannot even be
bothered to attend the rhree meerings a year
that are held righr under their noses (and
where are the young people?). If you arc
moved at all hy this letter, please help save oUt"
Island by admitting that there is a problem.
Come to (he civic association meetings and
work with us to develop and implement intel-
ligem solutions. It is very la(e-bm nO( too
late if we start a housing plan now. Right now!
Sincerely,
Speedy Me(tler
Call or e-mail the editorfor
,~~~. :~~r:a~i:~:~i:~t ::~;::;
winter 860.633.8200; summer
631-788-7000; ligazette@cox.net.
The Gazette appreciates and relies upon edito-
rial contributions from the community. We re-
serve the right to edit copy and regret that we
cannot run every story and occasionally must
hold copy for future issues
Slimmer 2()()2 . Fishers Idal/d (1azelte 3
~
I
I
I
\
June 28. 2002
To the Editor:
With regret and sadness, I have submit-
ted my resignation as president and member
of the Board of Education.
I was invited to join the Board three
years ago to support the strong new superin-
tendent they had succeeded in attracting to
the Island to deal with the problems exposed
in Dr. Lerer's evaluation of the school.
Kathleen Koehnen is an experienced and
talented educator and a superb administra-
tor. She has worked tirelessly to reorganize
the administration of the school and to im-
prove the curriculum and the teaching skills
of those teachers who needed to do better in
the classroom. Despite the determined resis-
tance of the Teachers' Union to change, she
has accomplished much.
I had hoped that Ms. Koehnen would
stay for at least five years to bring the quality
of the education of our Island children up to
the level that they-and the taxpayers-
deserve. I admire my colleagues on the Board,
who worked hard and well together and with
Ms. Koehnen. Unfortunately, I failed to per-
suade (hem to follow my lead in the face of
the organized pressure of a vocal segment of
the community, stirred on by the Teachers'
Union. So when the cabal to bring down the
Superintendent rcached its regrettable con-
clusion, I voted for the administrative leave
agreement with Ms. Koehnen to make the
Board's vote unanimous.
J am firmly convinced that Kathleen
Koehnen is the best Superintendent the
Island will ever see, and I know that I could
not be effective in recruiting a satisfactory
replacement. The vote to reject the budget
was a vote against the Superintendent-it
had nothing to do with saving taxpayers'
money or with the quality of education of
Island children (the children were never
even mentioned). !twas all about protecting
teachers' jobs and increasing their salaries. I
can only take the vote against Ms. Koehnen
as a vote of no-confidence in me. The com-
munity has got what it wanted: Ms. Koehnen
is leaving, and I leave it to the Board and its
new members to decide where the school
goes next.
Bur it is hard for me to be optimistic.
The Island srudem population is dropping
more precipitously than we projected only
six months ago. Next year the number of
Cmui"ued 0" pllge 24
Supt. Koehnen to Leave
The Board of Education and Supt. Kathleen Koehnen have agreed that
she will go on administrative leave for the fourth year of her contract. Ms.
Koehnen will receive $100,395 in salary and full benefits for the 2002-03
school year. The Board has added $110,000 to its proposed 2002-03 budget
to provide for an interim superintendent. [see story below]
Stephen Scace, Board vice president, who reportedly represented the
Board in this matter, was unavailable for comment.
Ms. Koehnen had been the target of a vitriolic campaign by some
community members who had sought her removal as superintendent.
[see Gazette Vol. 16 No. I pages 3-5].
~OO~-O:J S<<:t.ool Budget Reje<<:ted
The Fishers Island community re-
jected the school's proposed 2002-
03 $2.285.040 budget in a 57-47
vote May 21.
The defeat, the first ever in recent
memory, was an apparent vore of no confi-
dence in the current school administration.
"A lo( of the reason that the budget was
voted down was not to do with finances, but
the people were dissatisfied with the way the
budget meeting was handled," said Karla
Heath, newly elected member of the board of
Education.
"Being told you had to write any ques-
tions on a card. They were answered by
[Supt.] Kathy [Koehnen]. and ifpeopleques-
tioned the answer, they were ignored. Ie was
the first budget meeting I've been to in 20
years that wasn't gone through line by line to
say what each item was and explain it. More
people voted against the budget after (hat
meeting than would have."
Adding fuel to the defeat was the re-
ported Vote No campaign prior to rhe vote,
with Vote No signs posted on the Island, as
well as negative statements posted on the
Internet, questioning facts and figures
"spoon fed" to the public "in a bit of a
hurry."
Withour an approved budget, the
school would have to turn to a contin-
gency budget, which would cover ordi-
nary contingent expenses, such as legal
obligations, expenditures specifically
authorized by statute and items necessary
to assure health and safety of students
and stafT.
The school board presented a second
budget at aJune 19 budget hearing, with
an identical bottom line, but there were
no questions from those in attendance. In
the interim, since (he first budget was de-
feated, Supt. Koehnen and the Board agreed
that she would be on administrative leave for
the 2002-03 school year.
Changes in the second proposed budget
include the addition of $110.000 for an
interim superintendent, reduction of$1 0,000
due to known savings from a personnel change
and a reduction of $100,000 in the Repair
Reserve Fund. leaving $45.000.
Six-figure items in the second proposed
2002-03 budget. expected (0 pass June 28.
include:
$639.316 Grades 7-12 salaries
$349.383 Pre-K-6 salaries
$190.000 Health/Dentallnsurance
$110,000 Acting Superintendent
$100.395 Superintendent Salaty
$100.000 Science Lab
The proposed per pupil expenditure for
2002-03 based on 35 Island students (I5 in
Pre-K-6 and 20 in grades 7-12) is $65,287.
The addition of 14 magnet students brings
the per pupil toral to $46,633. Magnet tu-
ition is $2500.
. MV Race Point in roiling waters as it leaves
Fishers Island in March.
4 Fi.~/un Is/a"d Gazene. Summer 2002
First Fewnale Fire Fig-Lter in FI History
Tracy Brock was not seeking the
limelight when she took an oath in
April as the first female, non-EM1~
member of the Fishers Island Fire Depart-
ment (FIfO).
Nevertheless, she has made history. Ms.
Brock, 32, is the first woman in-
ducted in her own right and not as an
EMT, in the 75-year history of Fish-
ers Island's volunteer fire department.
''I'm happy rhat Tracy joined
the fire department. She's very ca-
pable," said FIFO Chief Greg
Thibodeau. "I have no problem
with women in the position. None
whatsoever. As a matter of fact, we
pushed for it and talked it
up among the membership before
the vote, which had to be by a two-
thirds majority."
In the purest sense of the word,
Ms. Brock saw a need and wanted to
help. "I don't see this as precedent-
setting," she said. "I'd just as soon not
even talk about it, but obviously ev-
eryone knows. I thought I was just
another able-bodied person here to
help out the community. There aren't
a lot of new people to step lip to the
plate."
Ms. Brock had no lifelong ambi-
tion to become a fire fighter. She
would have trained for EMT certifi-
o
cation, hut since there were no courses &.
currently available, she decided to i
join the fire department, where her :E
husband has already been a member ~
for over a year. . Tracy Brock suits up as the firstfemale memberofthe Fishers
"People ask me in want to be an Island Fire Department in her own right. Female EMTs are also
interior fire fighter, but that is not FIFO members.
why I joined the department and not some- ago, when her husband took a job as a care-
thing that I am actively pursuing," she said. taker. Ms. Brock quickly found a job at Race
"Interior" firefighters don 85 pounds of Rock Garden and recently began working as
equipment and enter burning buildings to a caretaker for another family.
fight fires from the inside. While Ms. Brock When the Brocks moved to Fishers ls-
plans to help with myriad other fire depart- land, they had no conscious timetable for
ment duties and hopes eventually to drive the joining the year-round community. They
Sea Stretcher, Chief Thibodeau is impressed were each grieving for the loss of their par-
with Ms. Brock's reaction to full gear. ents, and simply concentrated on their jobs
"Tracy suited up, and she didn't seem to and healing. Eventually, Cynthia Riley said
mind it. Some people get claustrophobic," there was a book dub meeting, and she also
he said. asked Ms. Brock to read to the children at
Since April, Ms. Brock has been attend- Halloween.
ing Tuesday meetings and weekend drills, "Now I think we've become accepted. I
including live fire drills. She has also been don't think we had any big rush to meet
riding the fire truck during Sunday duty, and people. I can't remember when we started to
has gone on EMT calls to aid with lifting the
ill or injured and on Sea Stretcher runs, pull-
ing lines and doing whatever is needed. Little
by little, she is learning.
Ms. Brock and her husband Joe moved
to the Island from Connecticut four years
get to know people. I think it was one day on
the beach. It's not like there is an official
welcome committee, and you're not going to
meet people at the gym."
Ms. Brock remembered an early inci-
dent that gave heran idea about life in a small
community.
"1 didn't know anybody and had
gone to the utility company with a
question about our telephone, but left
before giving my name. I returned but
the woman said, 'I know who you are.'
Then it sunk in that everybody knows
everything about you.
"There's a whole mentality of be-
ing able to live out here. I could come
home every day and not see anyone for
a week, just taking mydogand strolling
down the middle of the road. There are
times we might want to go out-to
dinner, the beach or to a barbeque, bur
we are happy to be home by ourselves.
"I like it in mid-February as much
asJuly. To me, Fishers Island is always
beautiful whether its blue sky or gray
day. I just appreciate being here."
Ed. Note: Researching for the cover
design ofFIFD's 75th anniversary din-
ner dance program held June 6, Sarah
Malinowski discovered that [here had
been a dues-paying female FIFD mem-
ber who regularly attended meetings.
Polly Edwards, also a commissioner,
was not a fire fighter, however, leaving
the "first female fire fighter" designa-
tion to Ms. Brock.
.
FIFD Notice
The Fishers Island Fire
Department (FIFO) will not be able
to answer fire calls at certain homes,
if property owners do not trim low
hanging branches that currently
prevent trucks from getting
through.
FIFO fanned its trucks across
the Island this spring and marked
the offending limbs.The department
is sending letters to specific
property owners recommending
that they trim their trees if they
want the fire department to
respond in an emergency.
Summer 1m}1 . Fishers Islalld Gazene 5
Age is Cat<<:Ling up to FI Fire FigLters
Fishers Island Fire Chief Greg
Thibodeau knows the capabilities
of his volunteer fire fighters. "We
are good!!" he laughs, stretching the last
syllable and dropping his voice as if to leave
no doubt that his team could match any on
the mainland for speed, efficiency and effec-
tiveness.
So what is his concern? Why did he
stand before a May 25 meeting of the Fishers
Island Civic Association (FICA) and an-
nounce for the first time that Fishers Island
must begin to consider bringing in paid fire
fighters augmented with volunteer support?
"We are an aging force," Capt.
Thibodeau said.
"There arc 51 active
members in the fire depart-
ment, and of those, 40 are in
their 40s and 50s. Nineteen
are Life members, with 20
years or more of service. At
present, we have only one fire
fighter in his late 20s and 10
in their 30s."
Among its active mem-
bers, the fire department has
18 interior fire fighters. Those
are the volunteers who don
85 pounds of clothing and
equipment to enter burning
buildings. The 11 youngest
fire fighters make up the ma-
jority of this group. But as a
signal of time's passage, even
ChieIThibodeau, who is now
50, has said that the equip-
ment feels heavier each year. 0
Currently as chief, however, ,g
~
he is not allowed to enter burn- ~
ing buildings. ~
"
The FIFO membership ~
roster [see page 71 reveals an- U
other cause for alarm: the for-
merly steady recruiting pat-
tern has been interrupted.
"For the first time ever,
we went for two years without a new recruit,"
CbiefThibodeau said.
"Fortunately, we got Tracy Brock [see
story on page4] and John Bergquist this year.
We always used to get about three new re-
cruits a year, sometimes five, to add to the
force and make up for members who leave
tbe Island."
Another serious and more immediate
problem is the reduction in the number of
EMTs on the Island. During the summer,
FIFD receives two to three calls aday, mostly
for EMTs. Fishers Island has eight certified
EMTs, one of whom is a paramedic, and
three EMTs who have not recertified, but
still respond to calls. All bave full time jobs.
"This is a rock bottom number," said
Fishers Island resident physician Jack Hand,
M.D. "Nobody's bealth status has been com-
promised so far, but the fewer EMTs you
have, the more likely it will happen." Last
year, there were 72 fire calls, 56 of those were
medical.
Asignificant factor not to be overlooked
every month, and those who drive and navi-
gate the Sea Stretcher add another week to
that. Fire personnel are also on call to help
EMT s when extra arms are needed to lift
someone down from a second floor or down
a sharp angle to the Sea Stretcher at low tide.
"We also do not have the numbers to
organize some training for our volunteers,"
Chief Thibodeau said. "In order to do cer-
tain jobs, you are required to take courses,
and you have to qualify. If you don't train,
you are not considered part of the fire fight-
ing force. We bringsome instructors here, or
we go to Long Island for training. But you
have to give up a lot of time away from family
to do that.
"And now there's even more
training. We are always getting ter-
rorist alerts at the fire house. In such
an emergency, we could call upon
the resources of Suffolk County,
but I can still see things coming
down the road."
FIFO holds regular meetings
once a month and 2-hourdrills twice
a month and some weekends. There
are bigger drills on Saturday or Sun-
day and there is also Sunday duty
and gear check.
Among the drills is the live fire
drill in a pit or bunker near the
airport. Fire fighters gear up and
train on different fires, such as oil or
wood. They get used to walking
into heat and flames and learn how
(Q handle the hoses.
It is the number of interior fire
fighters that set off Chief
Thibodeau's alarm. FIFO used to
have eight teams of three interior
fire fighters. Now there are six teams.
Air tanks last 20-30 minutes, and as
fire fighters deplete their tanks, they
must be replaced by fresh teams.
"We never have more than two
teams in a building at once given the
size of the buildings here. Realisti-
cally, tbough, if you baven't knocked down
a fire in 30 minutes, you'll be fighting it from
the outside anyway, so you won't need to
replace that many teams," Chief Thibodeau
said.
"Rut when we get down to only four
teams, the safety of our volunteers will comc
before saving a structure."
. Maynard Banks, a Fishers Island fire fighter since 1999, rests at the back
of Engine #1 at the firehouse. Engine #2 [see cover] arrived June 3 on the
noon ferry. FIFO plans a July open house and cook-out for the community
to celebrate FIFO's 75th anniversary and to christen the new 2002 pumper.
in this deteriorating situation is the stress
placed on the EMT s and the huge amount of
time given up by all volunteers. Calls at 2 a.m.
are answered. Calls during the school day are
answered. (Three of the EMTs are teachers.)
Calls during the busy summer season are
answered, causing lost hours and lost wages.
Fire fighters are on call two weeks of
6 Fishen Is/a"d Gazeltf'. ,f.;ummer }()()}
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New York & Connecticut licenses Held
IHA\III[lI()lf lflHIE I()OI3.! II~IC..
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Phone: 788-7101 . Fax: 788-5599
'Winetasting every Saturday from 3 p.m.-7 p.m.
June 29 through Labor Day
Island People's Project
Arts & C rafts Show
ON THE VillAGE GREEN
Sat. July 20 and Sat. Aug. 17
9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
(Rain Date Following Day)
$25, one date; $40, both dates; $3, kids' table (arts & crafts
only, no games). Registration and set up: 8 a.m.-9 a.m. For
more information call Jeanine Edwards Kelly, 508-564-9937.
...
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House & Garden Tour
Sat., July 20
noon - 4 p.m.
Tickets on sale during craft fair
Summer 2002 . Fishers Islalld (;azetle 7
FI Fire DepI. Me...hersLip RosIer
Numbers at left indicate order in which volunteers were inducted. [Serge Doyen is the 71 st person to have joined
the fire department in its 75-year history.] Volunteers become life members after 20 years of service. Years in
which volunteers achieved "Life" status are listed next to names. Non-Life members have dates of induction listed.
I
I
71 S. Doyen .......... Life-1962
114 R. Boker .......... Life-1969
1 33 R. Erpenbeck ... Life- 1973
1 42 J. Hartsfield ..... Life- 1975
143 M. Zonghetti .... Life-1975
1 50 K. Edwards Sr.. Life- 1 977
155 AJ. Gada Jr.... Life.1978
156 A Walsh Jr. .... Life-1995
158 RWoll............. Life-1980
159 D. Edwards...... Life-1980
161 P.J. Rogan ....... Life-1982
162 AR. Grebe Jr. . Life-1982
1 64 E. Middleton II . Life- 1984
166 e. Morgan ....... Life-1985
215 W. Faulkner.... Life-1987
216 R. Zanghetti ..... Life- 1 987
219 G. Antiuk ........ Life-1988
224 W. Doucette Sr. Life-1989
230 R. Ahmon ........ Life-1991
231 R. Johns........... Life-1991
235 J. Wall ............ Life-2000
236 R. duPont Jr. .... Life-1993
240 L.R. Horn ......... Life-1995
248 T. Doherty........ Li fe- 1 997
249 M.N. Doucette. 1977-78:85-91:98-
256 G. Thibodeou .. Life-1999
258 S. Wolter ......... Life-1999
259 D. Doyen ......... Life-1999
261 R. Hole ............ Life-2000
263 L. Ahman ......... Life-1997
264 e. Jenssen ....... Life-1997
266 K. Songer ........ Life-1999
267 K. Zanghetti ..... Life-1997
268 K. Edwards Jr. . 1981-91:95-98:01.
270 G. Horning ...... Life-2001]
271 e. Stepanek ..... Life-2002]
273 J. Clavin .......... Life-2002]
275 M. Wolter........ Life-2002]
276 S. Malinowski.. Life-2002]
278 D. Denison ...... 3/83
282 A Thibodeau... 8/85
283 Wayne Doucette 8/85
287 M. Conroy....... 4/86
288 E. Scroxton ...... 1/87
289 J. Doucette ....... 4/87
301 e. Edwards ...... 4/89
303 B. Hubert ......... 5/89
306 E. Riley............ 9/89
311 J. Edwards....... 6/91
314 A Rice ............ 2/93
316 Greg Cypherd. 1/94
317 P. Songer ........ 10/94
I
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319 M.lmbriglio..... 8/95
320 A Lusker ......... 10/95
324 Gail Cypherd... 7/96
325 e. Giles ........... 7/96
326 P. Giles ........... 7/96
329 Jill Rogan ........ 7/96
335 R. Evans .......... 1/96
336 K. Tirobossi ..... 7/97
338 J. Cushing ....... 11/97
340 J. Stuckert ........ 1/98
341 J. Spofford ....... 5/98
342 M. Bonks ......... 1/99
343 K. Ahmon ........ 2/99
344 K.M. Bergquist. 3/99
345 D. Beck............ 9/99
347 P. Brock ........... 8/00
348 T. Brock ........... 4/02
349 J. Bergquist ...... 4/02
FIFO Active Members:
As of May 2002
Kenneth Ahman ......... Interior
Lillie Ahman .............. Life, EMT'
Richord Ahmon ......... Life
Maynard Bonks
Donald Beck .............. Interior
John Bergquist
Peter Brock ................ Interior
T rocy Brock
Michael Conroy
Seo Stretcher Copt.
James Cushing .......... Interior
Gail Cypherd ............ EMT
Gregory Cypherd ...... Interior
Dove Denison ............ Interior
Seo Stretcher Copt.
Tom Doherty ............. Life
John Doucette
Norman Doucette...... Interior
Wayne Doucette
Don Doyen ................ Life
Chris Edwards ........... Interior
Jeff Edwords.............. Interior
Ken Edwards Jr.
Ken Edwords Sr. ........ Life
Bob Evans
Sea Stretcher navigator
Carol Giles................ EMT
Paul Giles ................. EMT
Dick Grebe ............... Life
Lorry Horn ................ Life, EMT"
The Fishers Island Fire Department
celebrated its 75th anniversary at a
June 6 dinner dance at the Fishers
Island Club. All past and present
FIFD members were invited. Long-
time active member Ken Edwards Sr.
was Me. A highlight of the evening
was an exhibition of FIFD history
through pictures. FIFD has thou-
sands of photos in its archives.
George Horning ........ Life, EMT
Bruce Hubert ............. EMT
Mike Imbriglio
Catherine Jenssen ...... Life
Aaron Lusker ............. Interior
Sea Stretcher navigator
Steve Malinowski ....... Life
Sea Stretcher Copt.
Ernie Middleton II ...... Life
Seo Stretcher Copt.
Chorles Morgan........ Life
Aaron Rice ................ Interior
Sea Stretcher navigator
Ed Riley
Jill Rogan .................. EMT,
paramedic
Paul Rogan ............... Life
Penn Songer .............. Interior
Sea StretcherCapt.
Ed Scroxton
Jeremy Spofford ........ Interior
Sea Stretcher navigator
Charles Stepanek....... Life, EMT
Jon Stuckert ............... Interior
Alan Thibodeau ......... Interior
Greg Thibodeau ........ Interior
Keith lirobassi ........... Interior
Jim Wall ................... Life
Bob Wall .................. Life
Art Walsh ................. Life
Kathleen Zanghetti ..... Life, EMT'
"not re-certified, but still on call
8 Fi.flters Island Gazette. Slimmer 2002
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Slimmer 2(U}2 . Fishers Isla"d Gazelle 9
A Land Preser'Valion InilialI'Ve for FI
By Tom Cashel, Chair
Land Preservation Commiuee
Fishers Island Development Corporation
ThoseOfUSWhO are foftunateenough
to enjoy Fishers Island at any time
of the year benefit from the wealth
of natural beauty that surrounds us. As we
drive from the ferry to our places of recre-
ation or abode, we are refreshed after the
mainland urban experience that increasingly
surrounds us. After thousands of years, it is
remarkable that there are still open
spaces on the Island that may well
appear as they did long ago. These
open spaces are one of the defin-
ing things about the Island and a
principal, if diminishing, eco-
nomic and aesthetic asset.
As individuals, we sometimes
take an almost proprietary inter-
est in those open spaces, woods,
and ponds that we see, taking for
granted that they will always be
there for us, that they are ours. In
fact, they are not.
The question is will these en-
vironmental assets continue to ex-
ist as they are now? Will our chil-
dren and grandchildren have what
we now have, or will they occupy ~
~
a suburban development indistin- Q.
~
guishable from other high-den- :E
sity residential areas but for its ~
~
surrounding waters? .c
What we have tomorrow will 0
depend upon decisions made by
individual landowners today.
For some period of time, a
few farsighted individuals on Fish-
ers Island quietly sought to pro-
tect the heri tage of natural space
and wildlife habitat for the future. The Henry
L. Ferguson Museum has received in past
years gifts ofland and easements over land for
conservation purposes, now holding, through
its Land Trust, some IS parcels totaling over
120 acres. The Land Trust of the Museum is
dedicated to the preservation of property in
its natural state in perpetuity-not the cre-
ation of public parks or use areas.
The Board of Directors of Fishers Island
Development Corporation (FIDCO) is one
of several groups concerned about the rate of
development on the Island.
Noting that the Fishers Island Club golf
course, and certain FI DCO-owned proper-
ties that were not designated as buildable lots
on the original "Olmsted Plan" for the Is-
land, could not be developed, the Board
identified fewer than 50 FlDCO-owned lots
that potentially could be developed. The
Board reiterated its policy that it has no
intention of making these lots available for
development.
Nevertheless, with about 150 private
dwellings curremlyon the East End, there are
still approximately 160 undeveloped build-
of the increasing array of conservation tools
readily available to manage the future of their
property. Many believe that all they can do is
sell or let their heirs sort it out. The key to
preserving open space is toeducate andstimu-
late the vision and commitmem of those
present Island landowners who can recognize
the balance between the benefits of economic
gain and the intangible, but very real benefits
of preserving the character of the Island.
After consultation among representa-
tives of the FlDCO Board, the Fishers Island
Civic Association, the Fishers Is-
land Conservancy, and the Trust-
ees of the Ferguson Museum, the
Land Trust of the Museum has
emerged as the appropriate vehicle
for an accelerated land preserva-
tion movement on the Island.
Among the reasons are the fol-
lowing: the Land Trust has existing
criteria to determine the environ-
mental significance of various par-
cels for permanent preservation.
Its Board includes many Island
property owners sensitive to the
uniqueness of the Island. It is a
"public charity" to which contri-
butions, whether in the form of
financial assets or interests in land,
would produce the maximum pos-
sible tax benefits. Lastly, it can edu-
cate and assist interested donors in
conservation methods available for
land preservation and potential tax
benefits.
The Land Trust has, for ex-
ample, recently assisted in the con-
veyance of the development rights
(a "conservation easement") to a
parcel of waterfront propeny, which
will allow the owner to cominue to
own her land, control use and access, and pass
it on to her heirs, secure in the knowledge
that the property will perpetually remain
undeveloped. The donor in this case was
entitled to a current income tax deduction
upon the granting of the conservation ease-
ment; and substantial gift orestate tax savings
may also be available, because the property
without its" development rights" should have
a far lower value for transfer tax purposes
than it did before the easement.
For those who do not have properties
that may be available for protection, your
. South shore of Middle Farms Pond: This H.L Ferguson Land Trust
property, part of the Matty Matthiessen sanctuary, is a 1999 acquisition
of some 30 acres. It is connected by legal access to the other portion of
the sanctuary on Middle Farms Flats, and includes all unbuilt land south
of Middle Farms Pond to Block Island Sound, including most of the
Treasure Pond shoreline-"environmentally priceless."
ing lots available for development. FIDCO's
ability to control devclopmem of these lots is
obviously very limited. Visualize what this
means: potentially more than double the
number of existing homes could be built!
The burdens on water supply, ferry,
police and emergency services, roads, and
other infrastructure on the Island would in-
crease enormously. The aesthetic and practi-
cal benefits of the Island's current, relatively
natural, environment would change forever.
With this realization, the issue is: what
can be done about it?
Many landowners are simply not aware
Colltinued 011 page 24
10 f'i.~"ers Isla"d Gazelle. Summer 2002
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Summer 2fJfJ2 . Fishers Island Gazelle II
Island En<<:o...i.....s for the Hornings
Horning & T ulCL:er Co....pile Index of FI Flora
Fishers Island is one of New York
State's botanical "hot-spots," home
to about 45 species of rare, endan~
gered and threatened vascular plants.
In an ongoing study begun in 1985,
Island naturalist Edwin Horning and bota~
nist Gordon Tucker have been compiling an
index of Fishers Island flora. They have
added their srudyto that of Charles Hanmer,
who collected plants when he summered on
Fishers Island during the early 1900s.
As a resuh of the dedication of these
individuals, Fishers Island is in the histori-
cally enviable position of having a detailed
study ofIsland flora for practically the entire
century. The total number of plants cata-
logued on Fishers Island since the early 1900s
is 901. Of that number, Me. Horning and
Mr. Tucker have identified 340.
In an article entitled, "Sleuthing for
Rare Plants on Fishers Island, Suffolk County,
New York." wrirren for the May/June/July
1999 Long Island Botanical Society News-
letter, Mr. Horning describes Island plant
life on Fishers Island as dynamic, yet prey to
natural weather conditions and disasters, such
as hurricanes, nor'easters, droughts, flooding
and insect infestations.
"Bur by far, the greatest single impact
upon the plant life of Fishers Island during
the past 100 years has been man," wrote Mr.
Horning. "The irreversible destruction of
habitat due to development and the alter-
ation of natural wetland systems has resulted
in significant changes in the Island's flora.
"Fortunately, outstanding examples of
natural communities still remain on Fishers
Island. Some species have been lost, but
.
I
The Henry L. Ferguson Museum has
established the Edwin and Katherine
Horning Curatorial Endowment Fund in
honor of the Hornings' immeasurable con-
tribution to the museum, the community,
and the understanding and appreciation of
Fishers Island's natural treasures.
"Ed has served for 40 faithful years as
curator of the Henry L. Ferguson Museum
with his wife, Kay, by his side each day.
They have left a mark on generations of
Fishers Island families with an infectious love
of science, natural history and the Island's
abundant beauty," said museum president,
Charles B. Ferguson.
I
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"The museum would like to preserve
this legacy oflifelong learning, environmen-
tal stewardship and passionate commitment
through a new endowment fund.
"More specifically, the Horning Fund
will provide the resources for the museum to
"maintain a curator of the highest caliber,
while providing for his or her professional
development, programming choices and pub-
lication of research. In addition, a plaque
recognizing the Horning's dedication and
commitment to the Fishers Island commu-
nity will be placed in the museum's newly
renovated and expanded museum."
many others have been gained."
Mr. Horning has had an interest in plant
life since he was a boy pulling unwanted
plants from his grandfather's cornfields. In
1951, when he arrived on Fishers Island to
teach school, he met Me. Hanmer who com-
piled his list of plants in 1935 and published
it in 1940.
At the time, Mr. Hanmer wrote, "Since
1926, a number of species have become very
rare, or have disappeared entirely from the
Island's flora. This refers largely to swamp
plants, which could not survive the severe
draining, with the resultant growth ofbriars
Horning Award
Union Chapel has established an
award to be given at graduation
to a junior or senior who best
exemplifies the traits of Edwin
and Katherine Horning: love of
nature and the natural world,
dedication and committment to
community service, and good
moral character. In recognition of
the Hornings' many contributions
to Fishers Island. Union Chapel
was pleased to present this year's
$500.00 award to both Matt
Neilson and Janie Sawyer.
and small trees."
In 1985, after touring Fishers Island for
a day, Mr. Tucker asked Mr. Horning if he
would like to compile a list of Island flora.
Since that time, the two men have noticed a
trend.
"Plant populations come and go; they
increase and decrease in size from year to
year," Me. Horning said. "But we are seeing
more plants that like a warmer climate. The
colder climate plants are disappearing, al-
though Virginia cotton grass, for example,
which grows in Maine and is no longer on
Continued 0" page 24
. Edwin and Kay Horning are Island treasures-with a very busy telephone. Callers with
questions, from the sighting of rare birds to the ingestion of a potentially poisonous mushroom,
readily accept wisdom honed from years of dedication to a passion. Mr. Horning will be working
for the next few years on a Breeding Bird Atlas for the State of New York.
12 Fishers Island Gaz.ene. Summer 2(}fJ2
- -.- --.-..---.----- ----
~
---
INSPIRE THE MIND.
LIFT THE SPIRIT.
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To order this photograph (#123189F), call 860.572,5383 or visit ","",vw,mysticseaport.org/rosenfeld.
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I
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I
Patty King Cantlay
Fishers Island lost a beloved member of
the community April II when Patricia King
Cantlay died peacefully in New York City
after a long battle with breast cancer. She
was 47. Patty's capacity for kindness and
kinship rouehed everyone she met. She was
the rarest sort offlower, beautiful, strong and
unforgettable.
Patty was diagnosed with
cancer 11 years ago. Since that
time, she fought her disease
with courage, optimism and a
quiet dignity that impacted not
only herdearesl friends and fam-
ily, but also those who barely
knew her.
Raised in New York City,
she arrended the Brearley School
and graduated from the Purnell
School in N.J., where she even-
luallybecamcatruslcc. In 1977,
she earned a BA in geography!
cartography from BriarcliffCol-
lege and spent the next two years
grinding out flood insurance
maps in Washington D.C., all
the while campaigning for a
position with the National Geo-
graphic Society in Washington.
Patty even tually landed her dream jobas
cartographer in the cartographic arts depart-
ment of the National Geographic Society,
where she made illustrative maps for Na-
tional Geographic Traveler magazine and
many books.
Patty met David Cantlay at Briarcliffin
1976 when they both worked on the congres-
sional campaign of a professor at the college.
They enjoyed 21 years of marriage and had
two children, ElizaandJack, now 17 and II,
respectively.
In 1988, they moved to the Lawrenceville
School in Lawrenceville, N.J., where David
was offered a teaching position in the English
Department. Patty worked in the admissions
office, welcoming hopeful applicants to the
school. Everyone agreed that the job was
tailor-made for her.
Lawrenceville served as an extended fam-
ily for the Cantlays. Their many close friends
wove a support network that sustained Patty
and her family rhrnugh good times and had.
But of course, Patty and David gave as good
as they got.
I
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As campus residents at the school, their
numerous and varied responsibilities included
coaching, advising and serving as house par-
ents to a dormitory of senior boys. Although
Patty was ill much of the time, she main-
tained her expertise as an accomplished cook.
Any student lucky enough to catch her eye
could walk away with one of her famous PK
cookies.
Yet as much as they loved their busy lives
at Lawrenceville, everyspringmeam the plea-
sure oflooking forward to the beauty and the
~
PATTY KING CANTLAY
slower pace of Fishers Island.
Patty's affection for Fishers be-
gan when her parents started spend-
ing summers on the Island when she
was eight years old. Fishers was just
what a big family from New York City
needed. Patty basked in a freedom that
offered beauty and serenity, surrounded by
her family, the people that she loved the
most.
As the family grew and scattered across
the country, Fishers remained the perfect
place for Patty and her adored siblings to
reconnect. She had the uncanny ability to
make friends across generational and gender
lines. She cultivated many lifelong friends on
FishelS, as evidenced by the hundreds of
Island admirers at her memorial service in
New York.
In 1991, Patty and David continued the
legacy of friendship and family for their
children and bought a house on "the Hill,"
Summer ZOfJ2 . Fishers Islalld Gazette /3
as it is informally known.
That same year, Patty was diagnosed
with breast cancer. Summer after summer,
she dazzled those who knew her with her
steadfast grace, her good humor and her lack
of self-pity. She was most often seen with her
family, shuttling her children to lessons, to
rhe beach, to Hay Harbor Club dances. With
or without her trademark scarf, she was al.
ways beautiful.
Approximately 1000 people mended
Patty's service in New York City. Hundreds
more attended the service in
Lawrenceville. Her friend Leita
Hamill ended her remarks about
Pattyat the Lawrenceville service
this way: "THINK-Ifeach of us
left this chapel today, and the
thousand people who gathered
on Monday left that church, all
of us resolved to model in our-
selves Patty Cantlay's small acts
of kindness and oflove, her loyal,
quiet, individual attention paid
to friends, and her fiercely proud
love of family, we could carry
Patty Cantlay with us - and her
goodness, for the rest of our
days. We know how, becausc
she has taught us...Pass it on."
In addition to her husband
and children, Patty is survived
by her father, Henty L.
King, her mother,
Mary Sturges King
and her step-
mother, Margaret
Gram King, all of
Manhattan; two
brothers, Matth(."W
H. King and An-
drew L. King; threc
sistcrs, Elizabeth King
Robertson, Katherine
Ki ng Baccile and Eleanor S. Ki ng;
two stepbrothers, Michael A. and Joseph G.
Sokolov; 12 nieces and nephews; and also
David Cam!ay's family who raid him, when
they first met Patty, that they intended to
adopt her whether he had the sense to marry
her or not.
Donations in Patty's memory may be
sent to the Purnell School, Pottersville NJ
07979 or to the American Cancer Society.
Patty is buried in New St. John's
Cemetery.
This obituary was written by Allison
Sargent in loving memory of her Fiend, Patty
King Cantlay.
14 Fishers Island Gazette. Summer 2002
Eliot Hale Porter II
Elior Hale Poner II, 78, of Stoning ton,
Conn. and Fishers Island, died Mar. 20.
At a June 15 Island memorial service,
longtime friend and brother-in-law Charles
Arnold described Mr. Porter as a Renaissance
man. "The talents of Eliot Hale Porter (1923-
2002) were manifest throughout his 78 years.
Art, poetry, athletics, music and sailing topped
his wide range of interests. Along with a
competitive excellence, Eliot exuded humor
and sensitivity in his human relationships,"
Mr. Arnold said.
"Between his childhood in New Britain
and his final days in Stonington. Eliot's fa-
vorite SpOt on the planet was Fishers Island.
Not only was he intimately involved in the
affairs of local church, club and community.
but he always found time for personal reflec-
tion and creative projects around his house
on Wilderness Point.
"'Down to the Sea in Ships,' one of his
poetic mantras, illustrated his compelling
attraction to the sea. As side effects of his
diabetes gradually sapped bis pbysical
strength, he still pursued his love of the sea in
many quiet ways. His house Red Caps, over-
looking the south shore of the Island, was
equipped with a 'widow's walk,' a large porch
and two observation decks along the cliff
side. For many hours a day over the last
decade, Eliot would immerse himself in the
languages and nuances of the surf. sand and
sky. looking out ro the Atlantic ocean.
"It occurs to this observer that perhaps
the primary source of his inner strength and
resolve to overcome his physical problems.
was his 'partnership' with the sounds and
sights of the sea. Through this relationship,
he may well have stolen 10 years of life from
the grim reaper. Food for thought for those
inclined to whine about their own misfor-
tunes and search for 'greener pastures' as a
solution to their frustrations. May God bless
[he life (and afterlife) of Eliot Porter."
Mr. Porter had summered on Fishers
Island for his entire life. His parents and
grandparents first stayed at the Mononotto
Inn and later rented one of its cottages. In the
mid-1930s, his parents built "Vikings End"
on Isabella Road. In the mid-1980s. his sister
Maxine Porter Arnold kept the family house,
and Mr. Poner built Red Caps next door,
creating a family compound that he hoped
would last for generations.
Mr. Poner started sailing as a boy. His
first boat, a Herreshoff Bullseye, Viking, was
lost in the 1938 hurricane. Shortly thereafter,
be purcbased E.E. Dickenson's H-23 and
named her Red Cap. a boat that became
synonymous with Mr. Porter's early years on
rhe Island. He even spent a week of his
honeymoon on the Island sailing her. In the
mid-60's, he bougbt a Hinckley Pilot 35
.
"
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. (above) Eliot Porter at the helm in Maine
in the 1980s. (right) With his sister,
Maxine, on Red Cap in 1944.
sloop named Chrisada for his three chil-
dren: Chris, Sarah, and David. He cruised
and raced his beloved Chrisada for 30 years,
1I1ltil increasing medical complications
caused him to sell her in 1998.
He and his second wife bought Popover,
the first Hinckley Picnic jet boat at rhe yacht
club. enabling him to get out on the water,
including several times last summer.
Born in Hartford, Conn. the son of
Maxwell S. and Racbel (Parker) Porrer, be
graduated from Mooreland Hill Scbool and
attended Taft and Westminster Schools until
he went into the army in 1943. Mr. Porter
served in the 75th Infantry Division. U.S.
Army. in France, Belgium, Holland and
Germany during WW II.
Upon his return from wartime service.
Mr. Porter graduated from Cheshire
Academy and attended Erskine College.
Trinity College and the University of
Michigan. He was the fourth generation of
Bryan Churchill Porter's family to be presi-
dent of both B.C. Porter and Sons Furniture
Store and Porter's Funeral Service.
Looking back over 50 years of commu-
., .---
nity service, Mr. Porter said, "We who were
lucky enough to come back from the wars
owed something to those that didn't, civi-
cally. socially and politically, to serve to make
the world a little better."
Mr. Porter was a director of the Trustee
Committee of New Britain Bank and Trust
Company; a director of the New Britain
Chamber of Commerce; a corporator of
the American Savings Bank; a director of
the Connecticut Chapter of the Interior
Design Society; and a trustee, member of
Founders, and past president ofMooreland
HillSchool. HewasselectedanAlIAmcri-
can Merchant for the furniture industry
and was a member of the executive com-
mittee of the Westminster School Alumni
Association, a past president of the Boys
and Girls Club of New Britain, a corpora-
tor and director of New Britain General
Hospital. a member of the executive com-
mittee of the Hospital Council of Greater
Hartford, a past president of the New
Britain Rotary Club, and a corporator of
r
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."
the New Britain Y.M.C.A. He was a past
president of the New Britain Protestant Men's
Association, a member of the Southington
Republican Town Committee, was an elected
town representative, a corporator of The
Institute of Living, a member of the Priends
of the New Britain Museum of American
Art. a member and past president of the New
Btitain Club, and a chartcr member of the
Sarurnites.
Mr. Porter atrended Road Church in
Stonington, was a member, deacon, trustee
and moderator of Union Chapel, and was a
member and former deacon of the First
Church of Christ, Congregational, in New
Britain.
Mr. Porter was a member of numerous
yacht dubs and yachting associations. In
addition to a term as commodore of the
Fishers Island Yacbt Club (I 972.73), he also
had been commodore of the Off Soundings
COlltillul'd 011 pngl' /6
Burton G. Tremaine Jr.
,
Burton G. Tremaine Jr., 79. of Johns
Island. Fla. died peacefully April 6 al lhe
Oschner Clinic in New Orleans, La. His
wife, four children and a dear friend were at
his side.
A busincssexecutive and philanthropist,
Mr. Tremaineserved for many
years as president and chair-
man of the board of The
Miller Company in Meriden,
Conn., a leader in the produc-
tion of copper-based alloys.
Mr. Tremaine joined The
Miller Company in 1947 and
became its president in 1955.
a position he held for 32 years.
At the time he joined thecom-
pany. it was a leading pro-
ducer of industrial and com-
mercial lighting fixtures and
specialty copper alloy strip.
Under Me. Tremaine's guid-
ance, the company sold its
lighting division and focused
instead on modernizing the rolling mill for
specialty metals.
By 1985. The Miller Company had
become a major producer of copper.based
alloys used in electronics. automotive. tele-
communication and other industries. In 1987.
M r. Tremaine becamechainnan of the board.
serving for 13 years until the sale of the
company in June 2000.
Cominuing his family's dedication to
the arts, Mr. Tremaine sat on the Board of
Trustees of the Wadsworth Atheneum in
Hartford. Conn. from 1965-85, serving as
president from 1978-1981. He was awarded
the prestigious Goodwin Medal for outstand-
ing service to the museum and the commu-
nity. and remained on the board as an honor-
ary member umil his death.
During his tenure, he presided over the
early phases of the Arheneum's $8.000.000
capital campaign to modernize irsenrire physi-
cal plam and reinstall the collection in reno-
vated galleries. He served on the Board of
Directors of the Hartford Stage Company.
Other beneficiaries of his interest in the arts
were the Center for the Arts in Vero Beach,
Fla. and the Hotchkiss School in I..akeville.
Conn., with the establishment of the
Tremaine Art Gallery. He was also involved
with the restoration of the McKee Gardens in
Vera Beach.
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In 1991. Mr. Tremaine was the found-
ing chairman of the Emily Hall Tremaine
Foundation in Meriden. guiding the organi-
zation as it chose its three focus areas for
grants: learning disabilities, the environment
and the arts. He involved other family mem-
bers in the process of setting guidelines and
planning strategy. stressing the importance
of unity of purpose and collaborative prob-
lem solving. By 1999, when he retired from
BURTON G, TREMAINE JR,
the board. the fi:mndation had become an
effective grant-maker. particularly in the area
of learning disabilities.
Mr. Tremaine also enjoyed complex lo-
gistical problems and engaged his family in a
game, replayed throughout the years, called
"max complexity." For example. getting two
cars, two boats and a plane off the Island with
just two adults. or having company engi-
neers, who were working on a major expan-
sion project, happily interrupt their work to
design an intricate trailer to haul his custom
half-ton sailboat, spare sails and gear to the
half-ton national championships.
Mr. Tremaine was single-minded and
fiercely competitive when it came to sailing.
He raced sailboats for years and won numer-
ous regattas. He took meticulous care of his
Summer 2U(}2. Fishers Island Gazel1e 15
boats, doing most of the work himself, and
was commodore of the Fishers Island Yacht
Club (I974-75) and a member of lhe New
York Yacht Club.
His passion for sailing led Mr. Tremaine's
family to commission a New Orleans artist to
fashion an urn with a nautical motif for his
ashes. Bronze plaques were made of material
from The Miller Company and were in-
stalled by the Essex Boat Works. where he
stored his boats for many years.
His remains were placed in
plots on Fishers Island, his sum-
mer home for over 40 years, and
in Cleveland. Ohio, where his
parents are buried.
Mr. Tremaine graduated
from Hotchkiss School, class of
1940, and from Yale University,
class of 1944. with a degree in
hisrory. He served with the 65'h
Infantry Division in Europe, ris-
ing to the rank of captain.
He was chairman of the
board of Meriden Hospital in
Meriden and was also chairman
of the board of the Bar T Bar
Ranch in Flagstaff, Ariz. The
Bar T Bar Ranch operates Meteor Crater,
where Me. Tremaine's grandfather had pur-
chased the surrounding land, and it has been
under the management of the Tremaine fam-
ily since the I940s.
Mr. Tremaine is survived by his wife
Catherine Burns Tremaine; two sons, Bur-
ton G. Tremaine III of Essex, Conn. and
John M. Tremaine of New Canaan, Conn.;
a stepson, Atwood Collins III of Darien,
Conn.; twodaughters,Janet Tremaine Stanley
of Tacoma. Wash. and Sarah C. Tremaine of
Charlottesville, Va.; a sister. Dorothy
Tremaine Hildt of Palm Beach, Fla. and
Gates Mills, Ohio; and 14 grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to
the Wadsworth Atheneum, 600 Main St,
Hanford CT 06103 or to the Bushnell Me-
morial. 166 Capitol Ave. Hanford CT 061 06.
Commodores Burton G. Tremaine Jr. and Eliot Hale Porter II
Burton G. Tremaine Jr. and Eliot Hale Porter II thrived on the challenge of the sea.
Confident, dedicated and accomplished sailors. they vied for a first place finish in
countless regattas. One race in particular, the annual late summer 'Round the Island
Race. brought each man sweet victory. Mr. Porter was the first winner of the Commo-
dore David F. Harris trophy for the first Fishers Island boat over the finish line, and from
1973 to 1983 these two gentlmen "owned" the trophy. No one else won during those
10 years. The final tally was eight wins for Mr. Tremaine from 1974-1983 and six wins
for Mr. Porter from 1969-1989. Mr. Tremaine and Mr. Porter were former commodores
of the Fishers Island Yacht Club (1972-1975), and they died just 18 days apart.
16 Fishers Jdand Gazette. Summer 2001
Herbert D. Schutz
Herbert Dictrich Schutz, a private art
dealer and former fine arts publisher, died of
complications from vascular discase Fcb. 20
in New York City. He was 79.
A resident of Greenwich, Conn., Mr.
Schutz and his wife, Suzanne Cameron
Schutz, had visited Fishers Island for the past
20 years. Six years ago, however, they decided
to rent.
"Herbert took one lookat the Templeton
house on Middle Farms Pond and bought
Me. Schutz served in the Pacific Theater
during WWII as a first lieutenant in the
United States Marine Corps. After the war,
he joined the Ncw York Graphic Society, a
fine arts publishing company founded by his
father, an artist best known for his etchings.
The company released, The Complete
Letters a/Vincent Van Gogh in 1958, setting
a standard in arts publication. In 1966, Mr.
Schutz was namcd president, editor-in-chief
and later, chairman of the board. He became
vice president of Time Inc. when that corpo-
ration acquired his company.
In 1983, he and his son Prescott Schutz
launched Schutz & Company Fine Art, with
offices in Greenwich and New York City.
The private art
dealership spe-
cialized in 19th
and early 20th
century Ameri-
can and Euro-
pean art.
The follow-
ing excerpt from
another obituary
captures the es-
sence of the man:
"Me. Schutz's life
was one dedi-
ca ted to art, and
his knowledge of
the subject was
both deep and
broad. A hand-
some man of easy
charm and great
humor, he epito-
mized the el-
Photo courtesy of Suzanne Schutz egance of a more
civilized time. He
delighted in op-
era, ny-fishing,
hunting with his beloved dogs and enjoying
the company of his many friends and
family."
Mr. Schutz served on the boards of the
Greenwich Arts Council, Art Barn, Private
Art Dealers Association, Appraisers Associa-
tion of America and the Masterworks Foun-
dation of Bermuda. He was also a member of
the Belle Haven Club, the Harvard Club, the
Bohemian Club in San Francisco, the
Wadawanuck Club in Stonington and the
East Haddam Fish and Game Club.
Mr. Schutz was predeceased by his son,
Prescott Schutz, who died in 1990.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Schutz is
survived by two sons, Peter Schutz and Jef-
~,.~
. Herbert Dietrich Schutz, with Poacher and India, Chocomount Beach,
Summer 200 I.
the house instead of renting it!" Mrs. Schutz
said. "Herbert just adored Fishers Island and
was going to be on Middle Pond no matter
what.
"That was his spot. He could have faced
the ocean, but he saw much more wildlife
action-birds, fish, snapping turrles-in the
pond, where he would constantly go out in
his canoe to fish. Actually, he would fish in
the pond, he would fish in the ocean, he was
a fly fisherman and would fish anywhere!"
Born July 16, 1922 in Munich, Ger-
many, Mr. Schutz was raised in New York
City and received a bachelor's degree in fine
arts from Harvard College in 1944. He was
the son of the late Anton Friedrich Schlitz
and Maria van Gross Schutz.
frey Schutz, both of Denver, Col.; three
daughters, Elizabeth Schutz Lydon of New
York City, Leslie Schutz Panayotopoulos of
Athens, Greece, and Suzanne Stewart Schutz
McCloy of London; and seven grandchil-
dren.
Memorial contributions may be made
to the Schutz Memorial Fund of the H.L.
Ferguson Museum or to the Medica Founda-
tion, c/o Dr. Daniel Mackin, Columbia Pres-
byterian Medical Center, 161 Ft Washing-
ton Ave, New York NY 10032.
~
Maxine Johns, 82
Maxine Johns of Paris, Ill. died 111
March. She was 82.
The Johns family was synonymous with
golf course maintenance at the Fishers Island
Club for 40 years.
Maxine and Jim Johns came to Fishers
Island in 1960 when Mr. Johns was hired as
golf superintendent at the club. Mrs. Johns
was a bookkeeper for Doyen's Store and later
worked for Henry Walsh, who owned the
large grocery, eventually purchased by Bill
Bloethe.
In 1977, Mrs. Johas began working at
the club and was extremely proud of earning
her assistant golf superintendent's license.
After Mr. Johns died in 1979, their son
Robert took over as superintendent.
Mother and son were popular figures on
the golf course and when introduced at the
club's annual Labor Day meetings. Mrs.Johns
and her son lef[ the Island in March 2000.
Eliot Hale Porter II
Continuedfrom page J4
Club and a former member of the executive
committee ofE.C.Y.ltA. In addition to sail-
ing, Mr. Porter was an avid tennis player,
hockey player and skier.
He was predeceased by his wife, Marilyn
(Broersma) Porter in 1979.
Mr. Porter was married to Marcia
(Woolworth) Porter and is survived by two
sons and daughters-in-law, Christopher and
Peggy Porter of Kensington, Conn. and
David and Julie Portcr of Una dill a, N.Y.; a
daughter and son-in-law, Sarah Hale Porter
and Gcorge Loveday of Stonington, Conn.
and Fishers Island; a sister, Maxine Porter
Arnold of Middlebury, Fishers Island, and
Naples, Fla.; nine grandchildren; three nieces,
and four nephews.
. Edwina Sanger: Island doctor, perennial Hay Harbor Club tennis doubles champion
with the late Ellie Oakes, and driving force behind the original Tidal Wave in the village
center. Lamenting there was no gift shop or hairdresser, Mrs. Sanger convinced 10
ladies to invest in what became the Tidal Wave, which was later sold to Canio.
Edwina C. Sanger
Edwina Campbell Sanger was born Nov. 12.
1909 and died May 9. Her ftmi/y wrote the
ftllowing ellolog}.
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All of us who knew Edwina Sanger will
not be surprised to learn that she left detailed
instructions about the form and content of
this service. In a letter to her children written
two days before her death, she said, "a few
helpful hints seem to be in order at this time
in case the proposed sur-
gery turns our ro be a
flop."
She then proceeded
to instruct her ever-duti-
ful children ro write out
ahead of time whatever
personal remarks they
wanted to make and have
them read by the clergy-
man. She specifically or-
dered no tears or gulps
from family or friends.
In that spirit, her chil-
o
dren, Michael, ~
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Alexander, Morgan and ~
.E
Anne,andPeter'swidow:.
Kandi with the assistance 8.
of Edwina's grandchil- ~
dren, have written the fol-
lowing:
Our mother could
have run the Pentagon.
Growing up, when orders came down ro
dean our rooms, pick up the endless mess we
made in the living room or turn down the
TV, we would say in unison-"orders from
the Octagon"-there were eight of us in
rotal, six kids and Mom and Dad.
Yes, our mother had six children, a cir-
cumstance that was of some amusement to
her mother-in-law, Margaret Sanger, the
American birth control leader. Margaret
Sanger believed quite strongly that two maybe
three was the right number of children a
couple should have.
When our mother discovered she was
pregnant with her fourth, she and Dad flipped
a coi n ro see who would call Margaret Sanger.
Our mother lost the ross, made the call and
the response was something on the order of,
"You've disgraced me, I'm going to Europe."
Our mother and her mother-in-law eventu-
ally came to an understanding: our mother
wouldn't tell Margaret Sanger how to run
Planned Parenthood and Margaret Sanger
wouldn't tell our mother how ro run her
family.
Our mother was born in Flint, Mich. in
1909, the year after her maternal grandfa-
ther, William D. Durant, founded the Gen-
eral Motors Corporation. Because of this
heritage and her marriage ro Dad, she was a
parr of the two great developments of the 20th
century-the invention of the automobile
and thewomen's rights movement. She could
have run both GM and Planned Parenthood
simultaneously and still had time for golf.
Her parents divorced early and with
great acrimony. Our mother grew up essen-
tially alone. When she turned 18, she moved
in with her devoted brother Bill. She learned
to be independent and self-sufficient early.
She developed great strength of character.
She organized getting herself into Miss
Porter's School in Farmington, Conn., at the
time a "finishing school." Our mother, how-
ever, had ambitions to attend college, so she
and her brother arranged for her to be tutored
at Princeton University during her last se-
mester at Miss Porter's. She was accepted at
Vassar, and thereby became one of the first
Farmington students to attend college.
At Vassar, our mother majored in En-
glish literature and distinguished herself by
playing the piano, being the school tennis
champion for most of her tenure and gradu-
ating Phi Beta Kappa. After a brief time
studying the piano, she decided to follow
her father into medicine, but being once
-
Summer 2002. Fishers Island Gazette /7
again without the necessary preparation,
she attended science classes at Columbia
University.
A year and a halflatcr, she was accepted
at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at
Columbia University. She was oneof the few
women in her medical school class and fin-
ished near the top. She interned at Columbia
and specialized in internal medicine. During
her rotation through the surgery department
in July 1939, she met our father who taught
her surgery, and they were married three
months later. Just after meeting our mother,
Dad took her to meet his
mother. Margaret Sanger
wrote in her diary in August
1939. "Grant brought lovely
Dr. Edwina Campbell for
weekend!!! Perhaps..."
Our Dad wrote his
mother after the weekend: "I
am so glad you agree that 1
have found 'a gem,' for I re-
ally bave."
Mom worked on the
chest service at Bellevue Hos-
pital and later joined the fac-
ulty at Columbia Presbyte-
rian where she worked in the
outpatient clinics treating TB
patients. She and Dad also
worked for several summers
as the summer doctors on
Fishers Island.
For a while during the
war, she had a private prac-
tice, and in 1942, she described her first day:
"So far I have no furniture, so haven't even a
desk to put my feet up on. I made two house
calls yesterday and nearly died affright. Both
are cured today, so I haven't got anything
more to do." This didn't last long. She and
our father were of the old school that believed
that medicine was a service of helping people
and making their life better.
After her retirement from medicine,
Mom volunteered on the oncology ward at
Northern Westchester Hospital. She never
told anyone that she was a physician, prefer-
ring to do the work of a nurse's aide. People
today still mention the wonderful care they
got from both our parents. They were kept
busy indeed.
We have never understood how our
mother managed to have, much less raise six
children and still practice medicine and be
involved in the community. Yes, she ran a
Continu~d on pi1g~ 18
18 Fishers Island Gazette. Summer 2002
Edwina C. Sanger
COl1tjllu~d from page 17
tight ship. But the care and personal atten-
tion that each of us got was, in retrospect.
stunning.
When the next generation appeared, she
would occasionally feign indifference. saying
that it was up to us to raise our children. This
didn't last long. She insisted upon driving
Kandi to the hospital in the middle of the
night when Christopher was born. She took
a copy of War and Peace along just in case
labor took longer than expected.
Alas, the strength of character that her
childhood gave her was put to the test again
and again. The war was terribly traumatic for
our father, and our mother devoted herself (0
his recovery. In the 1960s, shortly after our
mother had a serious bour of cancer, our
brother Steve was killed in action in Viet-
nam. This rocked all of us. but our parents
especially hard. But as one of their friends.
Margot Wilkie. said recently, "Your parents
had character. They carried on under distress
and sorrow, and you knew they would."
Our mother eventually learned how to
cope with the pain of the loss, and when, 20
years later, she lost our brother Peter in a
plane crash, she coped with this tragedy with
wisdom, equanimity and strength. She learned
through the years the most important les-
son-how she wanted to live her life. Her
strength of character was an inspiration to us
and to her many, many friends.
To everyone here she was Edwina. or
Teddy, or Mrs. Sanger, or Dr. Campbell. or
Aunt Teddy. or Ma Sanger, or just Ma or
Grandma. To us she was indestructible. On
the occasion of her 90th birthday, she an-
nounced that she was not looking forward to
growing old. We never thought of her as old,
and we thought she would be with us forever.
She entitled het autobiography, My first Ninety
Years. We had no doubt that there would be
another ninety.
She said the week of her death that if
she couldn't get up and play golf everyday,
she didn't want to be here. life in a wheel-
chair was not for her. She loved the game
of golf and excelled in it. She was in her
late 80s before we first saw her hit a drive
into the rough. A week before her death. she
played in the ladies Day Tournament at the
Bedford Club and at age 92, with her usual
piece of red yarn in her hair. led her team to
victory. As her grandson Andrew said, "she
went out like Ted Williams-a home run in
her last at bat."
Edwina C. Sanger's
Children Remember A
Simpler Time on FI
Edwina Sanger's children gathered at
her house in June and recalled the following
story about their parents, who were summer
doctors on the Island in the late 1940s-early
1950s:
"In the days before cell phones and
beepers, the problem arose about how (0 find
the Island doctors in an emergency. Since our
parents were more often than not on the golf
course, a modified signal flag system was
developed.
"If there was an emergency. the patient
would call. we think. the Gruner house just
off the 15th green at the big club. The maid,
who screened the calls, would, in a true
emergency. hang a bed sheet off the top floor
balcony. The sheet could be seen all over the
back nine, and our parents would get the
message to stop their round and go to the
emergency.
"None of us could seem to remember
what would happen if our parents were play-
ing the front nine when a crisis ensued-we
suppose the patient would have to wait until
our parents got to the 10th green."
~
. The next generation:
(I~r) Edie Parsons,
.. Patrick Rose and Paige
Coolidge July 200 I at
the home of Paige's
great-grandfathe r.
Albert H. Gordon.
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Edie is the daughter of
Liz and Harris Parsons
and granddaughter of
Betty Pieshoff and Elsie
and Harris Parsons.
Patrick is the son of
Sarah and Andrew
Rose and grandson of
Bernie and Art Walsh.
Paige is the daughter
of Faith and Peter
Coolidge and grand~
daughter of Sarah F.
Gordon.
Faith Coolidge Photo
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Summer 2{J02. Pi.fhers lslalld Gautte 19
Green Thoughts
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By Leila Hadley Luce
When in Drought...
Take heart. If you are concerned
about water conservation as well as
your bank balance, there are simple
and effective strategies to keep your lawns
green and healthy and your gardens
flourishing.
.To water a lawn the way it ought to be
watered, you should soak the ground to half
an inch below the grass's root system. Any
more than this is wasteful. any less causes
down-reaching roots to perish. You can check
your lawn's moisture with a ruler. In hot
summer monrhsmost rye grass and bluegrass
lawns are going to need about one and one-
half inches ofwarer weekly, either from rain-
fall or irrigation.
-The time a lawn is watered is as impor-
tant as the amount of water it gets. The best
time to water is in the morning between
sunrise and noon, the coolest part of the day
when there is less wind and heat to cause
evaporation, and time ro give the ground a
chance ro dry. Long periods of wetness or
dampness bring about diseases, so never wa-
terovernight. (Night rain is OK because rain
water, as our grandmothers believed, has
been scientifically proven to comain ronic
ingredients.)
-Reduce fertilizer applications to dimin-
ish growth rare of lawn grass.
-Let lawn grass grow to four inches
between mowings [Q shade the roots and
reduce soil evaporation, and then CUt back to
three inches.
- Hone the lawnmower blade for a cleaner
cut to lessen water loss. Rerurn clippings to
the lawn to mulch grass roOtS, add nitrogen
and help retain moisture.
-To aerate lawns and increase your
lawn's water absorption, wear spiky golf
shoes on your property walkabouts. Control
traffic on lawns to prevent lawn stress and soil
compaction.
- Extra water is required for seedlings
and plants recenrly put in the ground to
become healthily established. Outdoor con-
tainer plants often need daily watering dur-
ing summer heat. Create catchwater soil ba-
sins around newly transplanted trees, small
plants, shrubs, and evergreens. For stabilized
small trees, large plants and shrubs, build an
earth saucer around the base of each to catch
and retain water, particularly rain water, to
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get water to the plants' roots where it is
needed.
-Use mulch or ground cover to moder-
ate soil temperature and comrol the growth
of weeds to reduce competition for water.
-Improve porous, sandy soils through
which water leaches quickly. Amend soil
with compost to improve its water retention
by softening it so it can absorb, not repel,
moisture from the sky or sprinkler.
Com posted soil not only prevents erosion
from wind and hurricane rains, but also
helps better root systems develop to with-
stand drought.
-Eliminate wasteful water run-off onto
paved areas by matching your sprinkler's
pattern with the shape of your lawn or
garden beds.
I am seriously thinking of getting rid of
our sprinkler system. Spray sprinklers with
evaporation rates as high as 70 percent on dry
days, are wasteful. You can lower yourwater-
ing costs by 60 percent if you switch to drip
irrigation, a system that
delivers water where it is
needed and in the proper
amount directly into the
ground, versus imprecise
airborne spraying. The
technology of drip irriga-
tion is unsurpassed at
both saving water and
promoting optimal plant
growth with your
garden's soil neither dry-
ing out nor becoming
waterlogged.
Companies that sell
drip irrigation equipment
will usually help you de-
sign a system and give
you instructions on set-
tingit up.
Drip systems can be
permanent or semi-per-
manent, and easily re-
moved when regular cul-
tivation is necessary for
beds of bulbs or veg-
etables. The tubing can
be disguised with wood
chips or mulch. Draw-
backs to drip irrigation?
Occasionally, the tubes
get clogged.
Soaker hoses, less ex-
pensive than e1aboratc
drip irrigation systems,
and simpler to install, are an alternative.
Soaker hoses can also be components of drip
irrigation systems, or they can be used on
their own. They release water along their full
length as seepage through tiny holes or as
diminutive sprays. Soaker hoses conserve
water, reduce cvaporation and don't wet
flower leaves. Drawbacks to soaker hoses?
Water flow may be uneven if hose is placed
on a slope or may be stronger in the section
of hose closest to the source.
For invisible watering, conventional pop-
up rotors are the best, although wasteful.
Drip Irrigation Online (http://
www.dripirrigationonline.com) will tell you
all you want or need to know about drip/
micro-irrigation components. Also check our
www.dripworksusa.com and their catalog
Dripworks 2002, 190 Sanhedrin Circle,
Willits, CA 95490-8753; catalog request line,
800-616-8321; order hotline, 800- 522-3 7 47;
technical assistance, 707-759-6323; fax, 707-
459-9645; email.dripworks@pacific.net.
.
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. (I-r) James Quinn and summer residents Patrick Pendergast and
Nishan Vartanian caught this 625-lb. Bluefin tuna south of Nan~
tucket last October. "We caught the fish on a I a-lb. live bluefish,"
Mr. Pendergast said. "We fought the fish for 53 minutes with heavy
pressure, finally subduing iLlt was a cold morning when we left at 2
a.m. The fish was hooked at 6: I 0 a.m. and was in the boat by 7:30 a.m.
We made the long three-hour run home and sold the fish to a fish
trading company. It was up for auction the following day in Japan."
The longtime friends have competed in over 20 fishingtournaments
and took second place last year in the Montauk Marine Basin Shark
Tournament with a 268.lb. Thresher shark.
20 Fishers Island Gazette. Summer 2002
ATOP CLAY POINT
Architecturally distinctive Contemporary with breathtaking panoramic views from four terraces. Rich cyprus and
antique brick exterior. Walls of windows affording marvelous light. Twelve beautifully appointed main rooms.
Entrance Hall with circular oak staircase with wrought iron balustrade. Living Room and Dining Room both with
Fireplaces. Four Master Bedrooms. Pine paneled Recreation Room. Dark Room. Four Bedroom Staff Quarters. Three
car Garage. Six acres on one of Clay Point's highest elevations with sweeping view of the Connecticut Coast and
Fishers Island sound.
RARE WATERFRONT
Parcel on Chocomount Beach. Over three acres. Warm southern exposure
with outstanding views of Block Island Sound and Long Island beyond.
Ginnel Real Estate
(631) 788-7805
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Summer 2001- Fishers Island Gaz.ette 21
MAGNIFICENT TUDOR
Brick and shicco construction of the F. Scott Fitzgerald era. Almost 7000 square feet of unsurpassed elegance Twelve main
rooms completely renovated. Grand Entrance Hall. Powder Room. Large Living Room with Fireplace and French doors to a
beautiful canopied slate terrace. Formal Dining Room with Fireplace. Large Kitchen. 1st Floor Master Bedroom Suite with
Fireplace and Bath. Butler's Bedroom and Bath. Three Family Bedrooms, one with Fireplace, each with Bath. Three Smaller
Bedrooms and Hall Bath, Sitting Room. Basement. Three Car Garage. Private 5.7 acre grounds with spectacular southerly
views of Barley Field Cove and Block Island Sound. Pool with Pool House. Tennis Court. $2,995,000
SOUTHERN EXPOSURE
Approximately 1.8 acres. Fabulously private building site
located off quiet dirt road on desirable East End. Distant
southerly views of Block Island Sound. Property has 50'
elevation and has been partially cleared. $275,000
IN THE ROUGH
Private lot located near the center of the Fishers Island Golf
Course. Convenient to the beaches on the East End and all
activities at the Club. 1.85 Acres adjacent to the sixth hole. High,
dry building site, perfect for the golfing enthusiast. $185,000
Thomas H.C. Patterson, Broker Associate
Box 258, Fishers Island, NY 06390
hup://www.ginnel.com · e-mail: ginnell@aol.com
22 Fishers Island Gaz.ette . Summer 2002
~;'.
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rT.ld'st:fc IsLe r<eaLt:d' foc,
.J=fsbeRS ISlaod, o.'Jj. 06390 631-788-7882
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www.mysticislerealty.com
Chocomount
Chocomount Beach. Approximately 3 acres of arguably the most desirous undeveloped waterfront land remaining on the Island
is pocentially for sale to an interested and discerning buyer. There would be direct access and ownership of approximately 150 feet of
beach front on the eastern end of Chocomount, and a proposed building site that would afford a sweeping view of the beach and Block
Island Sound. The current owners are highly sensitive to the careful development of this very special property and would only consider
the sale of the site to a party who shared those feelings. Serious inquiries are welcome.
One of the most beautiful properties on Fishers Island. This white-
washed brick Tudor house sits above Barleyfield Cove wi[h extraor-
dinary ocean views and takes comple[e advantage ofi[s (fuly unique
5 3/4-acre site. The house is tas[eful and elegandy designed with a
well-positioned pool, pool house and [ennis coun [ha[ have been
added within [he las[ several years. The current owners have been
highly successful in developing the property, inside and ou[ for en-
joyable family living. The house is being offered at well below i[s
replacemenr cost, at $2,995,000, Taxes $28,000, [GinnellisringJ
BAGLEY REID. Broker
This receudy constructed 4-bedroom, 3-bath house located in a
quie[ wooded area of the Island on 1.67 acres is now offered for
sale for $575,000, with taxes of approximately $6400, This almost
2600-square fool house appears well built and has mos[ cenainly
been carefully main[ained by [he owners. In addi[ion to an aurac-
live living room and separate dining area, [here is a most comfort-
able TV or family room on the ground floor. The modern kitchen
appears very functional and an attractive work area. There are nu-
merous dose[s and extra storage and u[ili[y spaces.
SUE HORN. Salesperson
Summer 1()()1- f"ishers Island Gazette 23
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www.mysticislerealty.com
(
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.
Spectacular views of Barleyfield Pond and ocean on approx. 1.7 acres. Large paneled living room with fireplace opening to bluestone
terrace and pool. Dining room, also with fireplace, accesses spacious modern eat-in kitchen. Separate first floor guest wing includes two
double bedrooms and bath. Second floor master bedroom suite has sitting room, fireplace, modern bath, water views; four bedrooms, two
baths; help's room with bath. Renovated f..""tmily room has separate access to pool. Two-car garage and automatic sprinkler for grounds.
House partially winterized with three zone oil fired system. Updated wiring throughout. Pool recently resurfaced with new teak decking
surrounding pool. Carefully landscaped grounds. $1,950,000, taxes approx. $11,000.
Balconies and outside decks command distant views of both sides Extremely large shingle house affords views of West Harbor from
of the Island. A GO-foot heated indoor lap pool is attached to the wrap-around porch. Original portion of house has living room
house in a solarium-like structure with 20 foot+ ceilings. There are with sliding glass doors to porch; dining room, with porch access,
4 double bedrooms each with marble tiled bath; stunning master and kitchen. Second floor has 4 bedrooms, 2 baths; third floor
bedroom suite is on top floor. Large living room/dining room with has 3 small bedrooms, 1 bath. Back portion of house has large
fireplace overlooks pool area from above. An efficient attractive playroom area, 3 bedrooms, 2 modern baths and separate kitchen.
kitchen and separate office space is on the same level. House is Basement has space for several cars; separate winterized one-
situated on 2.5 naturally landscaped acres overlooking Barleyfield bedroom cottage with small outside deck. House needs some
Pond and the ocean beyond. Partially furnished. Fully winterized. cosmetic work, bur has great space, is conveniently located in West
Taxes approximately $10,000. Asking price $1,900,000. End and has a gteat deal of potential. $495,000, taxes $3800.
rnJ1sLfc IsLe ReaL"tJ1 fDC,
24 Fislrers [stand Gazene. Summer 2f){}2
.-
Letters to the Editor
Land Preservation
COlltinued from page 3
Pre-K-6 Sludentswill fall 25% from 20 ro 15.
thc numbcr of Island high school students
21 % from 14 to 11, and the total Island
school population 20% from 44 to 35. The
cost per Island student will increase by 30%
from $50.250 ro $65.300. The magnet pro-
gram will be stretched to its educational and
financial limits. 1 believe that the Island will
very soon miss Ms. Koehnen, who has the
unique combination of cducational experi-
ence and administrative skills needed to deal
with this fundamental demographic prob-
lem by leading a restructuring of the elemen-
tary school and an examination of all of the
options for giving Island high school stu-
dents a better education and a wider social
expenence.
I dunk my colleagues on the Board for
their selfless service and dedication to our
children, and wish the new Board every success
in grappling with the problems that lie ahead.
Sincerely,
Margaret E. Bryan
Horning/Flora
Ctmtinued from page 11
Fishers Island, can still be found in Connecti-
cut swamps."
Mr. Horning and Mr. Tucker plan to
publish their findings. Thus far they have
published a 1993 report in conjunction with
the Island watershed study. In that report,
they commented on a "remarkable" number
of rare plants in the Island watershed. Those
endangered, threatened and rare plants were
Spotted Pondweed, Emmons Sedge, Rusty
Flatsedge, Watermeal, Ladies-tresses. Golden
Dock, Red Pigweed. Pigweed, Silverweed.
Bushy Rockrose. Green Parrot. Feather Mil-
foil. Seaside Angelica, Featherfoil, Neckweed
and Osier-Aster.
Whcn asked about the future of this 17-
year study. Mr. Horning replied, "We've just
begun!"
The Fishers Island Gazette in February published. A Collection of Stories. by Robert S.
Morton. The 67-page soft-cover book includes Mr. Morton's 1991-1998 essays reprinted
from the Gazette. The book is available at The Pickett Fence for $10. ..U
Classic Elements...
COlltinued from page 9
financial support for the Land Trust will
enable it to carry on with a program, which
will be a benefit to all of us. Everyone on the
Island has a stake in this.
Our land preservation initiative will be a
long-term effort. We hope to develop better
informational brochures to help landowners
understand the many options open to them;
but, for now, we hope that those interested in
furthering this program will call or write
Robert J. Miller, 10 Bluewater Hill South,
Westport CT 06880. 203-977-7327; or
Penelope Sharp, 225 Reed Gap Road East,
Northford cr 06472, 203-484-0134; or
Stephen Malinowski, PO Box 402, Fishers
Island NY 06390,631-788-7889; or Tom
Cashel. 27 Main St., Walpole NH 03609,
603-756-2909.
We will all live to regret the conse-
quences if we do nor plan now to keep Fishers
Island free of the congestion that has already
significantly diminished the values and en-
joyment of life on other nearby islands.
This land preservation initiative is about
more than just conserving the view. It is
about conscrving our unique character so
that Fishers Island remains Fishers Island.
...combine to create a
relaxed style, soothing
colors and luxurious
touches. This most ap-
pealing four year old resi-
dence has nine rooms
including four bedrooms
and three bathrooms.
Located on the East End
of Fishers Island, it is a
perfect refuge for fulhime
use or as a retreat for ex-
tended family and week-
end guests. $575,000
Doyen. McBride REALTORS@
860.4345838 ~ 631.788.7303
.
~
WPBA
Summer 2002. Fishers Is/mid Gazelle 25
.
Conti1lued from page 29
lots and the ferry. In 1986, a 3D-member
committee of summer and winter residents,
with Trust results in hand, was charged with
coming up with a Growth Plan similar to a
successful one in Mr. Burnham's home town
of Hudson Ohio.
Me. Burr, a member of that committee,
said one of the Growth Plan's tenets was
strengthening the year-round population.
"Within a month of rendering the
Growth Plan, we learned that 24 acres on the
West End was to be sold, and it was already
under contract," Mr. Burr said. "We went to
the seller, Annette Walsh, and said, 'We
think this is more important, and we will
match the bid you have.' We had no corpo-
ration and no money at the time, but that is
how Walsh Park came to pass. (The corpora-
cion was hastily founded, and thanks to over
50 Island families, almost a million dollars
was raised over the next year.)
"The original purchaser had planned to
put up four houses. The property had room
for up to 30 houses, but in deference to the
neighbors, we scaled it back to 12. WPBA
owns the land under the houses, extending a
long-term lease to owners to have their houses
r
.
I
,
I
on the land. This enables WPBA to maintain
control, thus keeping these houses for year-
round residents."
Since developing the affordable housing
neighborhood, WPBA has purchased one of
the houses, which it currently rents. WPBA
also owns the Rugg house, which should be
rented by this summer and the Middleton
house, currently under renovation. The work
on that house, which should be completed in
a few months, is being done by Z&S Con-
tracting, with sweat equity from one of its
employees who will be renting the house.
WPBA is in the early stages of a capital
campaign. The corporation would like to use
an infusion of funds to expand the stock of
rental and owned housing for year-round
residents. Fundswill also be used to eliminate
current indebtedness from recent home pur-
chases and to respond to a matching gift
opportunity. Other than the annual golf
tournament, the Walsh Park Open, this is
WPRA's first appeal since 1987.
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Michelle Hallagan Photo
. Isabelle Hallagan made her mark on Isabella Beach last summer.
I
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wolford . Hanro . Eda . Eres
Nina Ricci ' Cafucine Puerari . ChanM/e
La Per/a . AUbade ' Cosabe//a '
.
.
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26 Fishers Is/arId Gazette. Summer 1(J()]
FISHERS
I SLAN D
M@bir
FUll SERVICE STATION
Official New York State
Auto I nspection Station
CARCO@ INSPECTION
Fuel Oil
Gasoline
Propane
Party Ice
Diesel
Service
1
When you're in trouble, who are you going to call?
E. Riley, station manager
631-788-7311 · 631-788-5543, fax · Emergency only: 788-7178
ISLAND HARDWARE
More than j list locks and hinges
788-7233
SERV,:iTIIR@
...- B . . ~-....
'M enJamm
oore @
L.... PAINTS J
Busy Su........er in Ne'W' London
.
Whether you are exasperated by the
traffic or looking for an otT~lsland
diversion, New London is beginning to ex-
pand its summer attractions.
25th Annual Sailfest
July 12-14: Foxwoods Resort Casino is
planning the largest summertime fireworks
program in the U.S. (other than July 4th in
New York) in honor of and in memory of
emergency services personnel.
New London Film Festival
July 26, Garde Arts Center. The Library
of Congress film division is partnering with
the Garde to help secure rare prints of classic
films. Among new films to be screened is the
East Co~st premiere of Crazyas H~II, directed
by Eriq La Salle (Dr. Benton of ER fame)
who will be one of the festival's guests of
honor.
Nutmeg Games
July 27-Aug. 4: An estimated 50,000
visitors, 7000 athletes and 1500 volunteers
are expected at the N uuneg State Games.
Connccticuc's largest amateur sports festival
has moved [0 New London after five years in
Hanford. New London will host the games
in 2002 and 2003, with an option for 2004.
~
The "Olympic-style" games will be based on
the campus af Cannecticuc College, with
additional venues in Waterford and East
Lyme.
Cruise Ships
All summer: Two cruise ships will dock
at Waterfront Park next to the F.I. ferry
terminal more than a dozen times this sum-
mer. American Cruise Lines of Had dam will
dock the 165-foo, American Eagle and the
I 68-foot American Glory, both of which will
be picking up passengers far seven- and eight-
day cruises.
Saturday Market
Tents will be set up at Waterfront Park
from 11 a.m. to4 p.m. every Saturday through
Aug. 31, except July 13. Ten to 12 vendors at
a time will sell items such as jewelry, beadwork,
tapestry bags, Peruvian an, crafts and spe-
cial ty foods.
Ft. Trumbull State Park in New Lon-
don, officially opened June 14, afte, the
National Park Service signed the deed over to
the State of Connecticut. The park is the
result of $20 million and four years of con-
struction at the site of the former Naval
Underwater Sound Lab. The 16-acre park is
Summer 2()02. Fishers Island Gazette 27
the nation's only military fon with history
from the Revolucionary War to the Cold
War. The fonwas built in 1777, demolished
and rebuilt in 1812, and razed and rebuilt in
1839 with Egyptian Revival architecture.
Coast Guard
A.r...ed in N.L.
The u.s. Coast Gua;d has permanently
assigned a 140-ft. tugboat with twin
.sO-caliber machine guns to New London.
Whether a comfort or a reminder, the
Coast Guard has imposed tough new regula-
tions, which will be tested during the busy
summer recreational boating season.
Strict limitations extend [0 watercraft
near Navy and Coast Guard ships and other
potential targets, such as the Electric Boat
shipyard and U.S. Submarine base in Groton,
and Millstone nuclear complex in Watcrford.
Restrictions on operating within 500
yards of a submarine will prevent anyone
from sailing on the Thames River when a
warship leaves or returns because ponions of
the channel are not wide enough, said James
Avery of ,he Thames Yacht Club.
I
I
I
I
----;.&~ Congratulate that new Mom and
Web ,'\'urSff)' Dad and let them know you care.
You can even see their baby and order pictures!
I
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* You also can find a guide for
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Pro,!!,.,"s avai!able at Lawrence & Memorial
or visit the medical staff directory online.
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Health tt
View a fu!1 list of educational and
medical programs and services
offered to our community.
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& MEMORIAL' New London, a
HaS PIT A L (860)442-0711
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28 Fishers Islalld Gazene . SWlIt1Ier 2002
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Slimmer }001 - Fishers Isla/ld Gazette 29
FICA &. ~PBA on .he MOTe...
.
,
There is a growing call within the
community for a task force to study
the multiple issues of a plummet-
ingyear-round population. now estimated to
be between 200 and 250. as well as housing
and the education of Island children.
While the year-round population de-
clines. the summer population strengthens.
Large homes continue to be built. and former
summer residents are moving to the Island
year-round. A concerned Fishers Island De-
velopment Corporation is trying to draw
attention to what Fishers Island would be like
if all privately held lots were developed [see
story 00 page 9].
Responding to the increasing gravity of
the situation. the Fishers Island Civic Asso-
ciation (FICA) this winter formed a sub-
committee of its Board to organize a re-
examination of the issues addressed in the
1987 Growth Plan [see story at right], last
amended in 1994.
The original Growth Plan established
the following goals:
- Fishers Island must have a viable year-
round population.
- Efforts must be made to slow the growth
of the seasonal population.
-The Island should remain a residential
community.
-The natural environment must be pro-
tected.
-For the foreseeable future, the Island's
governance will remain the same.
"Everyone agrees that the issues have not
changed." said FICA co-president John
Spofford. "blll a mean-spiritedness has
evolved in recent years that has infected the
community. We have to look to ourselves,
honestly, and decide. Ifweare really commit-
ted to increasing the year-round population,
then everything we do must be directed to
that end."
Me. Spofford and co-committee mem-
bers Heather Ferguson and Penni Sharp have
proposed retiring the title. "Growth Plan,"
and replacing it with. "A Program for a
Viable Island Community." They intend to
develop a strong factual base for key
issues. One way to do that is through a
symposium, currently in the planning
stages, which will bring together individuals
experienced in problems similar to lhose
facing Fishers Island.
The group is looking for input from all
r
.
r.
Island organizalions and interested individu-
als to bring the community together in a
collaborative effort. If you have ideas or would
like to help, please email or call Healher
Ferguson, fergusoh@pomfrelschool.org or
860-928-3268.
WPBA. Considers Building Renlals
The Walsh Park Benevolent Asso-
cialion (WPBA) is considering
building attached rental housing
on Fishers Island.
"This is a complicated and risl'Y project,
bm we are currently collecting informal ion
abom property availability. lOne changes and
financing," said Frank Burr, WPBA presi-
demo "It would require a significam amoum
of money. The estimale is over $100,000 for
each basic two-bedroom unit. but lhe end
price will depend on lhe number of units and
lype of construction."
WPBA has been re!uctanl (0 gel into lhe
remal business for a number of reasons in-
cluding management concerns with lenanls'
rights issues.
Al a 1997 Fishers Island Civic Associa-
lion (FICA) meeting. year-round res idem
Cynthia Riley pre-
semed a detailed ac-
counl of available
rental units. describing
inadequale septic sys-
tems.leaky roofs. kero-
sene as the only source
of heal. faulty electri-
cal syslems. malfunc-
tioning furnaces and a
furnace in lhe middle
of a living room.
Many commu-
nily members believe
thal Fishers Island's
population decline is
directly linked (0 lhe
lack ofIsland housing.
"There are 10ls of
reasons why people
don't come to or stay
on Fishers Island." Mr.
Burr said. "Housing is
certainly an important
issue, but it is nOl the
only issue. Currently,
we have only three
qualified applicams
waiting for housing in
Walsh Park.
"Housing. school slability. meaningful
jobs for women and social opporlunities be-
ing on the same plane-I see lhese as lhe hub
of the problem."
Me. Burr thinks it is importam to set
goals and implement plans. "If the Island had
not developed the Growth Plan in
1987. rhere would be no Walsh Park today.
And wilham Walsh Park. we would have
lost families crucial to dIe Fishers Island
community."
Brad Burnham was FICA presidenl in
1984 when the civic association commis.
sioned the Trusl for Public Land to do a
survey of Fishers Island. The Trust looked al
lhe state ofdevelopmem and lhe potential for
development on lhe Island. and made sug-
gestions after lookingat infrastrucmre. maps,
Co1/t;lIIud 011 pag~ 24
. Noank veterinarian Marc sminkey DVM [see story on page 31] gives
"Jasper" his annual vaccination in the front yard of Sue and Luis Horn's
Walsh Park home. The Horns have lived in the neighborhood since 1996.
30 Fishers Isla"d Gazette. Summer 2(}(}2
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Summer 2002. Fishers Islalld Gaulle 31
.
In Apri12000, Ed and Cynthia Riley lost their
beloved Cinnamon, part Australian sheepdog/
part Labrador retriever, to sudden onset canine
leukemia. Although Ms. Riley said that having
a regular veterinarian on Fishers probably
would not have changed the outcome, it was in
Cinnamon's memory that she pushed to bring
regulm' veterinary services to the Island.
I
~
I
By Cynthia Riley
After Marc Sminkey DVM bought a
veterinary practice in Noank in the fall of
2000, I asked him about coming to Fishers to
treat pets, and he was really enthusiastic.
It's a nuisance to bring a pet on the ferry
and then cool your heels, waiting for the ferry
back to the Island. Because of this, people can
let routine care slide.
We go door to door, greatly minimizing
the stress pets experience with an office visit.
Also, it is a huge time-saver for the owners,
and the cost of a house visit is far less than a
round~trip ticket on the ferry. Marc is warm
and friendly, making it dear that all ques-
tions are good ones.
The first monthly trip was in November
2000, and the number of patients has grown
since then. Most times, he brings a vet tech
with him, but sometimes he doesn't, in which
case I function as his technician. We've had
some really happy moments, some funny
moments and some sad ones.
We've seen dogs at the hardware store,
Mobil station, firehouse and many, many
homes. Sometimes on the front step of a
porch overlooking the sea, sometimes on a
kitchen table, and sometimes, in the case of
angry cats, under a bed.
We can be surrounded by little children
asking questions oremer an empty house, the
owner gone, a blank check on the table with
a note saying what needs to be done. We've
seen patients at night widl headlights from
our cars, and we've seen them outside in the
rain and in the sun. We've also gone tripping
through night-darkened lawns looking for
stool samples. We've been hissed at, growled
at, licked and hugged by dogs and cats.
We began with dogs and cats, but have
rescued a seagull with a wing infection, seen
birds and a horse. Sometimes it is just a
consultation, other times a full-fledged visit
that results in recommendation for surgery.
Since Marc comes over with a medical
bag that has finite space, sometimes we need
I
I
.
i'
a medicine that he didn't bring. Mike Conroy,
captain of the BD boat, helps with delivery.
Mike gets the meds from Marc's staff on the
mainland, delivers them to me, and I deliver
them to the pet owners.
If there is one thing that I do here that I
feel is really valuable, it is bringing the vet to
the Island. I also serve as a telephone contact
in emergencies. Having three dogs and a cat,
I love having the vet come here. If! can make
that same service available to everyone, I feel
so good.
I get calls all the time from people who
just want someone to talk to, someone to say,
yes, your pet needs a vet. When Marc gets
here, I tell him who is grieving and who has
just lost a pet. I've held recently-deceased cats
in my arms, just to be there to tell the owner
that yes, "She is gone."
One of the problems we have run into,
however. is anticipating what Marc should
pack in his medical bag. No matter how
prepared we are,
there is always
something more
he could have r
brought. When
I post the sign
that the vet is
coming, it works
best if people call
for an appoint-
ment eXplaining
the problem, just
asiftheywerego-
ing to the veteri-
nary hospital.
Often though,
we get patients
who caU at the
last minute, so
sometimes we
don't have every-
thing we need.
The vet will be
here July 24 and
twice in August.
Please call me for
an appointment,
788-7178, and
leave a message
on my machine.
Don't teU [my
husband] Eddie
or stop me at the
post office. We
Note to Cat Owners:
The feral cat programt sponsored
by the Fishers Island Conservancy,
is underway to trap, test, inoculate,
neuter and release feral cats.
Please make sure your roaming
pet cats wear a collar or some
other form of identification. Only
cats clearly identified as pets will
be released untreated. Trapping
and surgery will take place July 9,
July IO,July 23,July 24 and twice in
August. For further information
call Cynthia Riley 788-7178.
might forget.
Marc attended University of Vermont,
earning a degree in Wildlife Biology. While a
Vermont State Game Warden, working for
the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department,
he studied veterinary medicine. He is board
certified in both Connecticut and New York.
,,..;ljl
"1
- --....
:--_~. f
\-~
Cynthia Riley Photo
. Marc Sminkey DVM prepares vaccine for a feral cat. The Fishers Island
Conservancy, with the help of an anonymous donor, is sponsoring a trial
program to catch. inoculate. neuter and release healthy feral cats [see
Gazette Vol. 16 No. I page 29]. "Once we have a permanent space, we'" step
up the pace in catching and neutering wild cats. For now. surgery has been at
the BD paintshop and the Transfer Station. Bobby Scott and Don Brown have
been incredibly helpful:' said Cynthia Riley, who is coordinating the program.
32 Fishers Tdand Gazene. Summer 21)(J]
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G A Sishers Island NY 06390
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1\ ,. .
~~~J
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860-443-8361
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deliver 10 the New London Ferry slip.
A 5 E Master Certified
Ray Carter, Dave Button, Proprietors
I
I
~
Summer 2(}(}1- Fisllers Is/mId Gazette 33
I
I
.... (the May 25 meeting of the Fishers
.f"1l.Island Civic Association, the follow-
ing items were among those discussed:
Ferry District
-FIFD commissioners are not in favoraf
a proposal to erect a 150-ft. cellular tower on
sites behind the freight shed or near the
airport. Shelter Island is reportedly placing a
cellular (Ower inside the steeple of a church.
-The Race Point bunker has been sealed
at the request of the Town of SOlHhold and
the U.S. Navy.
Garbage & Refuse District
-Recycling pails arc available. Pick up
one per household at district building.
.Capping of Pickett Landfill should be
completed in 2003. Thete will be wotk at the
site during the summer, but no heavy trucks
will be on the toad. When completed, landfill
will be an 8-acre open meadow th;H may be
used for hiking trails.
Open Space Preservation
-Fishers Island has paid in excess of
$600,000 to the Town ofSomhold (thtough
the 2 percent land transfer tax) for land
preservation, but has not yet received a penny
to purchase land or easements on the Island.
FI Yacht Club: Walter Keenan
.The yacht club has filed for thtee pet-
mits to renovate the marina with the
reconfiguration of the T dock and the addi-
tion of floating docks. The club, which will
spend $65,000 on the project, is currently
awaiting permit approval from the Army
Corps of Engineers.
Emergency Preparedness
- Emergency instructions are in the tele-
phone book. If you hear a 3-minute continu-
ous warning siren, immediately check radio
or television. If evacuation is necessary, ferry-
boats will be at the dock and will leave for
Stonington. SoutllOld makes the final deci-
sion ro evacuate. This plan applies year-
round, even in summer with 3000 people on
the Island. Anyone with a better plan should
call Michaellmbriglio, and he will submit it
to the authorities.
Home Health Care
-The contract with the Utopia program
and Suffolk County should have been final-
ized] une 1. Connecticut personnel will assist
with Island home health care (when pre-
scribed by a doctor). Diana Shillo, a licensed
registered nurse in N.Y. and Conn. will su-
pervise. Medicare (according to need) will
reimburse all costs.
I
r
I
.
~
Dexter &. Healh Eleded 10 Board of Ed.
The Fishers Island community
elected two new members to its
Board of Education this May.
Robert Dexter and Karla Heath will replace
Traei Thibodeau and Aaron Lusker.
Mr. Dexter, 60, took the top spot largely
because of his remarks at an Island People's
Project-sponsored candidates' forum the
night before the election. Many people didn't
know him, but his remarks struck a chord. In
fact, Mr. Dexter was a regular summer resi-
dent hete ftom 1958-1988, when his pettO-
chemical career took him to Louisiana and
Texas. He and his wife moved to Fishers as
full time residents in May 200 I.
Mr. Dexter is married to Diane Dawson
Dexter, a science teacher and daughter of the
late AI Dawson, a popular and active member
of the Fishers Island community, who died
in 1994.
At the forum, Mr. Dexter acknowledged
that Supt. Kathy Koehnen had made definite
improvements to the school, "but did the
ends justify the means?" he asked. "Her ap-
proach might have fit with a large city, but
not here. I fault the Board; she should have
been managed.
"For the current style oflife to continue
on the Island, the school must stay in exist-
ence. The Island won't die if the school goes.
Residents can pay for services, but it won't be
the same. The churches would close; all that
would go. If that happened, my wife and 1
would leave the Island."
Mr. Dexter, who has an MA in chemical
engineering, thinks the Island can grow. He
also brings extensive experience in business,
including management, R&D, purchasing,
sales and marketing. "Most of aU, however, I
am retired and can bring time."
Ms. Heath has lived on Fishers Island
fOt 21 yeatS, and she and her husband Russell
have two sons who have gone through the
Island school system. Their younger son,
Kyle, is a junior.
"I decided to run because a lot of people
were frustrated with how the Board of Edu-
cation meetings were being conducted. It
didn't seem that the issues were being ad-
dressed. There didn't seem to be discussion.
Watching the meetings, you couldn'( (ell
how their decisions were coming about.
"I would try to effect a change in the
policy that has shut the public out. By stifling
public comment and questions, there is too
much of a rift between the community and
the Board.
"My main reason for joining the Board
is to save the school. I believe we must keep
the school open at any cost, because without
it the infrastructure of the Island will die. The
magnet program is an important area that
needs work in order to fill out the school and
help it grow in stature.
"Our problems are not just the school,
not just employment. Everyone has got to try
to work on their particular area. Before the
election, the candidates agreed that whoever
did not make it onto the Board would try to
form a committee to look into ways of draw-
ing people to the Island and encouraging
them to stay."
Mr. Dexter and Ms. Heath assume their
new positions July I.
o
'0
~
o
~
~
~
.
~
E
~
"
. Alicia Cairns as Mrs. Sowerberry in this year's FI School musical, Oliver, May 17 and 18. Fifty.
three members ofthe community participated, and businesses donated time and materials during
a busy spring. "Fishers Island at its best," one admirer said. [See second photo on page 41]
34 Fishers Island Gazelle. Summer 2002
FISHER~r5l)NDfi~c~ss~;(~~::t)N
fr:~ I(; r: !E;V""
/e Box 4~4, Fishers Island NY 06390
- -""i'el~.s-.F.a~ · 631-788-7029
John Spofford & Twig Stickney. Co-Presidents
Nancy Hunt. Secretary
Jay Parsons. Treasurer
Board Members
Barry Bryan, Heather Ferguson, Mike Imbriglio
Sarah Malinowski, Speedy Mettler
Carol Ridgway, Penni Sharp, Janio Spinola
Louisa Evans, Ex officio
The Fishers Island Civic Association exists to promote the
economic, civic and social wel(are o( the people o(
Fishers Island. Quarterly meetings provide (arums (or
discussions o( Island issues and reports (rom Island
organizations.
Annual dues: Individual $10; Family $15
Subscribing $25; Supporting $50
Sustaining $100
FIDCO can and
will revoke your
right to drive past
the gate house.
SLOW OOWN-30~h!
A community service announcement from FIDCO (Fishers Island Development Corp.)
e~c; Island lJt.
. ~ I~.
~ F.I. Electric ~
F.I. Telephone
F.I. Water Works
U]])
II REMODELING & RESTORATION II
INC.
Box 447 Fishers Island NY 06390
Fine Home Building,
Design &
Maintenance
Services
Tel: 631-788-7919
Fax: 631-788-7192
E-mail: info@bdfiny.com
24-Hour Service
Fully Insured &: Licensed
SlImmer 20fJ2 . Fishers Islalld Gazene 35
I
,
WALSH CO~-FR.ACTiNG ITTD
r. Chad M~roka, president
On-Island
! Generalf9~ Electrical
Full Serv!ce~tractor J
_ fr- Carpentry, Roofing, Painting
Siding &-Decking ~ ~
I v dh I, d .I!..
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L IUL -" L~, J
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24~liour .E,ml1rge~csrSerVice
~
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The Island Contractor
That Supports
the Island
"The Good Guys"
· Renovations
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· New Construction
· Expert Painting/Paper Hanging
· Licensed Electrical, Plumbing &
Heating Professionals
· 24-Hour Emergency Service
· Complete Line of Electrical Appliances
· Now Also Window Washing
Shop: 788-7857
Tom: 788-7755
Faulkner
Contracting
Quality Work at Reasonable Prices
Shop Phone & Fax:
631-788-5612
Fishers Island NY 06390
Fully Licensed and Insured
· Additions
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· Flooring
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· Linoleum
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· Tile
· Wall Papering
36 Fishers Island Gazette. Summer 2001
BOROLEUM@
Since 1906
STUFFY HEAD COLD?
SINUS?
HAYFEVER?
DIAPER RASH?
CHAPPED HANDS?
or LIPS?
Suffer no more!
Keep nasal passages clear and avoid chapping.
RELIEF
is as close as your medicine cabinet.
Boroleum works and it's mild!
SINCLAIR PHARMACAL CO., INC.
FISHERS ISLAND, NEW YORK 06390
DICK'S
GARAGE, LLC
Phone: 788-7249
To get the right answer
in life you have to ask
the right questions.
DBS PaineWebber wants to hear from you.
Because the more we know
about your financial goals,
the better we can help you reach them.
Royden A. Grimm Alan J. Sylvestre
Vice Presidents-Investments
2 Union Plaza, New London CT 06320
860-437-2027 800-247-9488 ex!. 2027
'* UBSIPaineWebber.
UBS PaineWebt>er is a service mark of UBS AG
02001 UBS PaineWebber Inc. All Rights Reserved. Member SIPC
aD
· Pest Control
· Termite Control
o Sentricon*
Colony Elimination System
. Carpenter Ant Specialists
ESTABLISHED 1882
EXTERMINATORS
The oldest and largest in Connecticut
Call 860-443-7697 today!
Slimmer 2002. Fisher.~ Jdalld (;azene 37
Island Conc::erls &- D.L. Ferguson Museu...
~
The Island Concerts Comminee
(lCC) has been synonymous with
summer musical events since 1979.
Recently extending its focus, however, ICC
has begun funding winter programs, as well.
Four years ago, ICC began (0 support
musical events for the year-round commu-
nity. In the last two years, enrichment pro-
grams and student trips have been added,
including one each month this year from
January to May.
"We have been extending our support to
year-round residents for some time," said
Ghislaine Boulanger, ICC co-president with
Linda Musser. "With additional contribu-
tions and the help of Rosemary Baue and,
particularly, Cynthia Riley, we have been
able (0 formalize a wimer program."
In another effort (0 reach all of Fishers
Island, ICC will present a free Blue Grass
concert July 28 under the tent at the Fishers
Island Yacht Club. This event, (0 which all
are welcome, is carefully timed (0 follow a
softball game.
Early Ice concerts were more tradi-
tional, centering on pianists, likely because
Mrs. Allerton (Rita) Cushman had a baby
grand piano in a large room in her home.
"Mrs. Cushman was an energetic doer with a
great interest in the arts and had recently
bought the former John Hanes property. She
was acutely aware of the lack of 'culture' on
the Island and became the impetus for found-
ing ICC," said Bagley Reid, a 20-yeat ICC
Board member.
"We had about two classical concerts a
season. Initially, it was run on a shoestring,
with support from Mrs. Cushman. We uti-
lized the Young Concerts Artist group in
New York City," Mr. Reid said. fu the years
passed, Ice began to draw increasingly ac-
complished musicians and now lists world
class concert pianists, jazz artists, chamber
groups and cabaret stars on its roster of visit-
. . .
lI1g mUSICians.
Recent ICe-sponsored programs include:
January: (Co-sponsored with IPPl Tom Callinan,
Connecticut's first troubador, at the Senior luncheon.
February: Trip for 3rd through 8th grades to
see, The Mystery of King Tut, at the Garde Theater in
New London.
Marth: Trip for 9th through 12th grades to see
o musical version of, Romeo and Juliet, at the Garde
Theater.
April: (Co-'ponsored w;th IPPI Storytellerotthe
library for Pre-k-2nd grades.
May: Paid for professional musicians in the FI
School/community ploy, Oliver.
,
This season's ICC programs include:
Sun. July 7: The annual Fife and Drum
Corps parade and concert an the V;IIage
Green.
Fri. July 12: At the Buckner-Orr home,
the Raphael Trio (piano, vial;n and cella) will
perform a classical program. This vibrant
group has iustcelebrated its 25thanniversaty.
They have recently performed the complete
trias 01 Beethoven and Mozart and appeared
at mus;c lest;vals warldwide--always greeted
with the highest accolades.
Man. July 15: Outdoor concert, 5 p.m.
an the Village Green. Tam Callinan and les
Julian, award winning songwriters, perform
to aud;ences 01 all ages. ICC joins IPP and FI
library in sponsoring this fam;ly/cammunity
concert.
Sun. July 28: Fishers Island Yacht Club,
Iree concert under the tent, Eastbound Freight
Bluegrass Band. Fiddle, bonja, mandal;n, gui-
tar, bass and vocals.
Fri. Aug. 9: Stowe Phelps and Fdends
w;ll return to the F;shers Island Club far an
evening of popular music entitled, ''The Many
Faces of love."
Fd. Aug. 23: Union Chapel, a classical
concert, featuring piano and woodwind in-
struments, by, "Musicians from Marlboro," a
group involved in the famous summer music
festival in Vermont.
.s
~
i3
.
.
E
.
,
"
i:'
.
<
,
o
U
. Light Vessel 13, Bartlett's Reef Lightship, published circa 1890: When lighthouses were too
costly or impossible to erect, lightships served the same purpose. The ships were anchored in place
by thick cables attached to heavy anchors. After 13 years of service off Massachusetts, LV 13 was
assigned to Bartlett's Reef in 1867. Except for periods of repair, or when carried off station by ice
(up to three feet thick) and gales, LV 13 remained on duty northwest of Fishers Island until 1933.
LigJ.lJ.ouses &. LigJ.lsJ.ips ExJ.iLilion
Surrounding Lights: The Historic
Lighthouses and Lightships that
Encircled Fishers Island, is this
slimmer's H.L. Ferguson Museum exhibi-
tion on display June 29 through Labor Day
at Bagley's Barn Annex, across from the
Fishers Island Yacht Club.
The temporary exhibition, researched
and assembled by Pierce Rafferty, was sparked
hyaSept. 8, 1881 articlerhat appeared in the
New London Day. The claim was made that
from a summer cottage on a bluff at the
southwest edge of Fishers Island, the ob-
server could see, on any clear night, the lights
of 19 lighrhouses.
"This year's show provides a rich por-
trait of the historic lights that once guided,
and in most cases still guide, navigation in the
region," Mr. Rafferty said. "Familiar light-
houses close to Fishers Island are exam i ned in
depth, but the exhibition also provides fasci-
nating views of the many distant structures
that we often see as mere bumps on the
horizon or flickers in the night sky. The show
also includes more than the original 19 lights
seen from Fishers in 1881. Some of our
neighboring lighthouses have been built
since then."
Visit the exhibition Fri. and Sat. 9 a.m.
to noon; Sun. 11 a.m. to noon; when the
Barn Annex door is open, or call 788-7293
for a special appointment.
38 Fishers Islalld Dazette . Summer 2(}(}2
LoLsler N.....Lers Lo"W'
B..I Are ReLo..nding
The number of legal-size lobsters in Long Island Sound is
the lowest in 18 years, but in spite of that, the lobster
population has shown remarkable signs of a turn-around.
A Conn. Department of Environmental Proteccion survey con-
ducted last fall reveals the continuing effects of the 1999 die-ofT,
coupled, however, with an apparent compensatory increase in repro-
ductive potential.
The percentage of all female lobsters bearing eggs increased to 23
percent, more than double the average since 1984. Even more notable,
said DEI> officials, was that more than 46 percent of all female lobsters
that were under legal size were bearing eggs-the highest percentage
ever observed.
We will work with
your fabric or you
may select from our
complete line of
decorator fabrics.
Custom ~'.'!J!.
20-50%
OFF
Also...
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fabrics
perfect for
every home...
Call
444-1619
""........ for
Pick up and Delivery "At Home Service"
at F.I Ferry 601 Broad Street 0 New London
July & Aug. Tide Calendars
-New london orea. (West Harbor: highwater -0:01 min.; low water .0:06 min.l
JULY
SUNDAY MONDAY
I
2002
SATlJRDAY
TUESDAY
WEoDNESOAy THURSDAy FRIDAY
=="'~
-~
071)/
July & August 2002 Tide Calendars courtesy of Tidelines ™
P.O. Box 230431, Encinitos CA 92023-0431
800-345-8524. www.tidelines.com
AUGUST
2002
SUNDAy
I
M<JNDAY
TlJEoSDAY
WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY
SATlJRDAY
"""" ",.. ,,~"" ,.."
"""..".." ,,,...,,..,,,.
..,,,,,, ,."
;"'...;'.,..~
~
~-'
Tidelines™ hJlI color, hJlI size wall calendars also available for other coastal
orem in USA, including Col., Fla. and R.t.
CATCH THE BOATING SPIRIT THIS SUMMER!
631.788.7528
OPEN MONDAY-FRIDAY 8:00 - 4:30
. mULWEATHERGI'AR' LIF~ JACKETS
,. -.. "'""' ~... -
SATURDAY 8:00 -4:30
"IN SEASON"
IPP
,
Jul.l-Aug. 9: 31stAnnuallPP Sum-
mer Program: Morning Program. M-F. 9
a.m.-noon at F.1. School. open to children.
ages 4-11. Meg Atkin. director. Register
Mondays at the school for attendance by
the week.
IPP Swim Program: Dock Beach life-
guard on duty M-F, 1-5 p.m. Swimming
lessons, Dock Beach, two afternoons a
week. Mini-Swim classes for pre-schoolers
also available.
Jul. 7: "July 4th"IPP Bike Parade and
fife & drum concert on the Village Green.
July 15: Outdoor concert, Les Julian
and Tom Callinan,S p.m. on the Village
Green. Jointly sponsored by IPP, Island
Concerts Committee and FI Library.
Jul. 20: Arts/Crafts Show, 9 a.m.-l
p.m. (Rain date, Jul. 21). Registration and
set-up 8-9 a.m. $25/one date, $40/both
dates, $3/children's table (arts & crafts only,
no games). Call Jeanine Edwards Kelly,
508-564-9937, for further information.
Jul. 20: IPP House & Garden Tour,
noon-4 p.m. Call Molly Frank, 631-788-7984
to volunteer. Buy tickets at the Arts/Crafts
Show July 20 or at Hair of the Dog Liquor
Store.
Aug. 15: Open meeting,S p.m. at the
library.
Aug. 17: Arts/Crafts Show, 9 a.m.-l
p.m. (Rain date, Aug. 18).
NOTE: Fishers Island has many tal-
ented residents. If you are willing to share
a special skill, such as painting, drama or
fishing in a short IPP workshop for the chil-
dren, please call Meg Atkin, 788-7469.
IPP owns and maintains Dock Beach
and the ballfield. Please treat these areas
with respect and clean up after use. No dogs
allowed on Dock Beach.
. . .
PO & UTILITY HOURS
,
.
Post office hours: Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-5
p.m. (closed for lunch, 1-2:15 p.m.), Sat.
8 a.m.-noon. For same-day mailing, all
mail and packages must be stamped
and ready to go by 4 p.m. weekdays and
11 :30 a.m. Saturdays.
FI Utility Co. summer hours, June
17-Aug. 30: Mon.-Thurs. 8 a.m.-5 p.m.,
Fri. 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Sat. 8:30 a.m.-noon.
After Aug. 30: Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
(closed for lunch, noon-l p.m.)
. . .
WPBA. BENEFIT
,
15'" Walsh Park Open: July 27, noon
at Hay Harbor Golf Club, $65 per person.
The Open benefits Walsh Park Benevolent
Association, which is devoted to increasing
housing for year-round residents.
~
FICA. Meeting
Sal. Aug. 3, 4 p.m. at the school.
Annual Southotd Town Board Meeting
Wed. Aug. 7, 1 p.m. at F.1. School.
FERGUSON MUSEUM
Temporary Quarters: Bagley's Barn
Annex, across from FI Yacht Club.
Summer hours: Jun. 29-Labor Day:
Fri. and Sat. 9:00 a.m.-noon; Sun. 11 :00
a.m.-noon; when the Barn Annex door is
open or by special appointment. Please
call 788-7293.
Nature Walks: Tuesdays, 2 p.m. (adults
& children); Wednesdays, 2 p.m. (adults
only). Meet at Bagley's Barn.
Summer Exhibition: "Surrounding
Lights: The Historic Lighthouses and
Lightships that Encircled Fishers Island" at
Bagley's Barn Annex.
.
.
.
EI. LlBRA.RY
Visit the library often: Mon.-Sat. 9
a.m.-noon and Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri.
1 :30 p.m.-5 p.m.
Story Hour: Tuesdays, 4-4:45 p.m.
Adopt-a-Book: Jul. 20 and Aug. 17, 9
a.m.-1 p.m.. at the Village Green.
Library bags for sale: Canvas, $20,
waterproof $25.
Watch for news about the annual
creative writing contest.
. . .
Dodor's Office Hours:
Office hours are: Mon.-Sat., 9 a.m.-noon;
Mon. 6-7 p.m. Island doctor, Jack Hand,
M.D. reminds all residents that there is the
potential for Lyme disease on Fishers Is-
land this summer. Check body regularly for
the pinpoint-size ticks, and whenever pos-
sible, tuck long pants into socks while walk-
ing through tall grass or woodlands.
. . .
Cl.urcl. Thrift Stores
UNION CHAPEL
The Ladies Aid ThriftShop: Thurs., 3
p.m.-S p.m.; Sat.,10 a.m.-noon. Donations
are appreciated. Please, no soiled or dam-
aged items.
OUR LADY OF GRACE CHURCH
The Rummage: Fri., 4 p.m.-6 p.m.;
Sat., 10 a.m.-noon. Donations may be left
on basement steps.
Slimmer 20112 . Ff~hers Isla"d Gazelle 39
FERRY
Aug. 13: FI Ferry District election, 2
p.m.-6 p.m., firehouse (registered voters
and real property owners eligible to vote).
Aug. 23: FI Ferry District budget meet-
ing, 6 p.m., FI School.
Summer hours for reservations at
ferry annex through Columbus Day week-
end: Mon.-Thurs., 9-11 a.m., 2-3:15 p.m.;
Fri., 9-11 a.m.. 2-4:30 p.m.. Sat. & Sun., 9
a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Credit cards will soon be accepted
for payment of reservations, passage and
commuter books.
An ATM machine will soon be in-
stalled on the first floor inside the ferry of-
fice, rather than routine check cashing at
the ferry district manger's office.
IHP Benefit Sale
A benefit sale is scheduled July 12-14
at the Hay Harbor Club. A portion of the
proceeds will be donated to the Island
Health Project (IHP). Vendors include:
Josephine Sasso, women's clothing; lin-
ens by MaryJo Chapoton; Trillion, estate
jewelry; 12S Benefit Street Antiques; Cali-
fornia Collector's Gallery, paintings, cigar
box purses, beach bags, jewelry; and
House ot Needlepoint. Bring guests and
friends, everyone is welcome.
Councilwoman/Justice Louisa
Evans' ferry annex office hours: Sun. 8-
8:45 a.m. or by appointment. Call Ms. Evans
at 788-7646, or at home, 788-7054.
GARBAGE & REFUSE
HAZARDOUS WASTE DAY...
...will be Sat. Aug. 10, 8:30 a.m.-ll:30
a.m.: Clean Harbors picks up paint sol-
vents, oven and drain cleaners, aerosol
cans, etc., at Transfer Station.t\ ~ ~
Summer hours for Transfer Station:
May 13-0ct. 14, Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri.,
7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1:30-4:30 p.m.;
Sat. 7:30-11:30a.m.andSun.l0a.m.-1 p.m.
Summer hours for compost facility:
Mon.-Fri. 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1 :30-
4:30 p.m.; Sat. 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Charge for
dumping brush, leaves, logs, etc.: pick-up
truck, $7.50; small dump truck (3 yards),
$20; large dump truck (3 to 9 yards), $40;
double axle dump truck, $60. All compost
is free for residents.
Compost facility accepts wood,
metal, plastic toys, smail appliances, insu-
lation, etC.-but no car or boat batteries,
which must be taken to gas station. Large
appliance fee, $10. Mattresses, box springs,
sofas, etc., $7.50.
40 Fishers ldalld Gazene. Summer l(}Ol
FisLers Island S.:Lool Aliye ~itL Student A.:tiyity
Fishers Island School sponsored a
mock Supreme Court appeal at the
American Legion Hall May I in
observance of Law Day. This year's theme,
set by the American Bar Association was,
"Celebrate Your Freedom-Assuring Equal
Justice for All."
Adding to that, ".. . even for a traitor?",
the school set the stage for a hypothetical case
to determine whether the Americans or the
British would gain custody of Gen. Benedict
Arnold on the fictional island of Atlantis.
The school's first mock trial, to deter-
mine the fate of British soldiers at the Boston
Massacre, was two years ago. Then as now,
attorney and summer resident T. Richard
Kennedy was an integral part of the program.
With a keen interest in education, he devel-
oped this year's Benedict Arnold Hypotheti-
cal Case and presided as chief justice of the
Atlantis Supreme Co un.
"The enjoyment, energy and educational
value generated by our first mock trial left no
doubt that we would do it again," said history
teacher Charles Stepanek, who planned, co-
ordinated and MC'd the event. "This year,
we were fortunate enough to have William
Stanley, a noted Connecticut businessman,
journalist and authority on Benedict Arnold.
His grandsollJim is in the eighth grade in our
school and served as bailiff."
"With this mock appeal, we hoped to
explore the traitorous evil of Gen. Arnold
and, with that sense of equal justice for all, his
patriotic good."
To begin the proceedings, Mr. Stanley,
in full uniform as Gen. Arnold, delivered a
powerful "self-justification" statement. Next,
Mr. Kennedy, using his experience before the
U.S. Supreme Court and a colorful imagina-
tion, delivered the hypothetical case in which
British soldiers, transporting Gen. Arnold
from New York to London in 1792, drop
anchor off Atlantis to repair a leak. Two days
later an American warship arrives and claims
Gen. Arnold as a traitor. The two sides agree
to abide by the high court's decision.
It was now the turn of the student law-
yers to present oral arguments. The students
had researched their roles as lawyers and
justices and had been coached by Mr. Kennedy
by phone, fax and in person.
Followi ng oral arguments and questions,
the justices began "live" deIiberations in front
of the audience. This made for "superb drama
and a valuable learning experience," Mr.
Stepanek said.
Satisfied that deliberations were COffi-
plere, Chief Justice Kennedy called for each
justice to state and support his or her deci-
sion. With the chief justice abstaining, the
final vote was 5-3 to give custody of Gen.
Arnold to theAmerican officers. Mr. Kennedy
then led a critique of the event.
"We should note that Gen. Arnold and
Mr. Stanley really did travel to Great Brit-
ain-Gen. Arnold to his fate and Mr. Stanley
to the dedication of a memorial to, yes,
Benedict Arnold," Mr. Stepanek said.
All participants, and many in the audi-
ence, were garbed in appropriate 17805 dress.
The court chamber featured large American
and British flags and an Atlantis flag created
by Mary Pankicwicz, who also designed
and produced the costumes for the principal
characters. An teacher Roberta Elwell
painted portraits of George Washington and
King George.
. "Chief Justice" T. Richard Kennedy presides over the Supreme Court of Atlantis in the school's
mock appeal of Benedict Arnold's Hypothetical Case. (l.r)Jeremy Doucette (9th). Dragan Gill (11th),
Cory Hollis (12th),Janie Sawyer( 12th), Sage Farrar ( 10th), Brendan Conroy( II th), Megan Murray
(II th), and Conner Scace (9th).
. (l-r)Janie Sawyer, Lauren Rogers,Alicia Cairns and Felicia Hardy as "Thieves" in FI School spring
musical, Oliver. Cynthia Riley was drama and production director, and Paul Fitzgerald was music
director. Island Concerts Committee funded seven of 10 professional musicians hired for the play.
Third Quarter 2001-02-High Honors (93-1 00) Ethan Beon, Tristan Belen, Rand Brothers, Andrew
Ellis, Sage Farrar, Dragon Gill, Cory Hollis, Martin Karpel, Matthew Neilson, Conner Scace,
Michael Scace, Camillo Spinola. Honor Roll 187-921: Nick Bonos, Stephen Bean, Alicia Cairns,
Melanie, Cairns, Brendan Conroy, Zoey Feinstein, Felicia Hardy, Graham Kuzia, Christine, Rogan,
Jane Sawyer, Olga Solovyova, James Stonley, Keith Tripp, Callie Walter, Colin Walter.
Fourth Quarter 2001-02-High Honors (93-100), Ethan Bean, Rond Brothers, Soge Forrar,
Dragon Gill, Cory Hollis, Matthew Neilson, Michael Scace, Olga Solovyovo, Camillo Spinola,
Honor Roll 187-921: Stephen Bean, Alicia Cairns, Melanie Cairns, Andrew Ellis, Felicia Hardy,
Mason Horn, Martin Karpel, Jane Sawyer, Conner Scace, James Stanley, Keith Tripp, Colin Wolter.
Summer 20fJ2. f'i.~"ers Islalld Gazette 41
Gold Medal Band
The Fishers Island School Band, in
existence for just three years, took
a gold medal May 3 at rhe Grear
East Music Festival in Chicopee, Mass.
The music festival is run by professional
music educators who judge the bands in four
categories: tone/intonation, technique, mu-
sicianship and overall effectiveness. Theevent,
held Fridays and Saturdays during May, draws
bands, orchestras, choruses and jazz bands
from throughout New England.
The 23-member Fishers Island School
Band, under the direction of music teacher
Paul Fitzgerald, prepared three pieces for the
judges and received a total score of89 out of
a possible 100, and a near-perfect score in
musicianship.
"Musicianship encompasses style, dy-
namics, phrasing, balance-section to sec-
tion, the entire ensemble," said Me.
Fitzgerald," a 39-year veteran of music edu-
cation. "Both judges were highly impressed
with the band and gave them a high gold
medal for their performance."
Mr. Fitzgerald tetited in 1997 after 32
years as head of music for the Waterford,
Conn. school system, but after taking a year
to relax, he became bored with retirement.
He answered an ad for a music teaching
position on Fishers Island and has been teach-
ing at the school for the past three years.
"I noticed an absence of instrumental
music at the school and decided to start a
Evans
Realty
Licensed Real
Estate Broker
Sales. Rentals
631-788-7054
. The school's gold medal band, with music director Paul Fitzgerald: Nicholas Banas, Ethan Bean,
Earl Belen, Robert Blair, Rand Brothers, Alicia Cairns, Melanie Cairns, Jeremy Doucette, Andrew
Ellis, Hannah Hirschfeld, Sarah Hirschfeld, Sam Horn, Graham Kuzia, Joe Lamperelli, Matthew
Reale, Lauren Rogers, Conner Scace, Michael Scace, Camilla Spinola, Jim Stanley, Keith Tripp.
Two teachers, Roberta Elwell and Jim Hands, also played and traveled with the band.
band," Me. Fitzgerald said. "The first year,
the band met one day a week after school for
no credit. The next year, Supt. Kathy Koehnen
scheduled band four days a week during the
school day, and the Board of Education
approved the course for credit.
"The band is now in its third year and
has grown in both size and musicality, and
the instrumentation is very good for a small
school."
Students selected their instruments, with
guidance from Mr. Fitzgerald. The school
bought a wba and baritone horn, but most of
the students own their instruments, which
include clarinets (the most popular), flutes, a
"I like the cakes from
SOU TINE so much that I am
sometimes tempted to pretend
that I baked them myself.
"I n fact, no matter how big a
cake I buy at SOUTINE, I am
always disappointed to
discover that there are
no leftovers."
Ruth Reichl ~:t,-'O. k e r
Editor'GOc)outin~
Wedding and special occasion cakes dehvered to
Fishers Island in July and August
104 Wesl 70th Street. New York NY 10023
212.496.1450; fax 212.496.1791
www.soutine.com
tenor saxophone, two alto saxophones, a bass
clarinet, trumpets, trombones and drums.
The band gave two concerts this year,
one for the senior citizens' dinner at Christ-
mas and the other at graduation.
"The band members were very excited
about their award, which is a plaque with a
gold medal on it," Mr. Fitzgerald said. "The
plaque, along with a picture of the band. is
hanging on the wall outside the band room as
a reminder of their very successful year."
T cachers Roberta Elwell and Jim Hands
played with the band throughout the year
and accompanied the group to the festival.
Topper's
Ice Cream
RS
\!iO
Our 9th season
on Fishers!
Open dail':11:2-9 p.m.
42 Fisher.f Is/and Gazette. .';ummu 1002
Weddings
Ashley Bruce Stearns and Andrew Edwards
Burr, June I, Melvin Village, N.H.
Daphne Bryce Spofford and Peter Baldwin
Schwab, June 22, Fishers Island.
Births
Maddox Bemiss Wray, Feb. 22, to Charlotte
and Michael Wray, New York City.
Isabel MayWood, Mar. 23, to Leanne (Witt)
and Tom Wood, Norfolk, Va.
Richard BarronJones, Apr. I, to Ellet(Kidd)
and Richie Jones, Wilmington, Del.
lucy Katherine Meyer, April 9, to Mary
Gayle and Andrew Meyer, Redding, Conn.
laurel Jean Geist, April 30, to Susan
(Pankiewicz) and Chris Geist,
Wallingford, Conn.
David Sean ShiUo, May II to Dianna and
Tom ShiUo, Fishers Island.
Tristan Ian Belen: Fishers Island School
New York Institute of Technology Class of 2002
Cory Michael Hollis:
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Ga.
Martin William Karpel:
Daniel Webster College, Manchester, N.H.
Matthew Christian Neilson:
UCONN, Storrs, Conn.
Jane Woodridge Sawyer:
Lynchburg College, Lynchburg Va.
Kristen Leigh Shaw:
Mitchell College, New London
II Tr.weI
AMERICAN Agency ~
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Travelers Checks
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631-788-7301
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11 Bank St.
New London
1-800-545-9154
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A real eslale appraisal company
serving Fishers Island
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Office 860-663-1695
Fax 860-663-2719
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"\~ -pICKETT FElvC
AGIFTSHOP l!
ON THE VILLAGE GREEN
Mon. thru Fri.. 4:30 p.m. to close
Sat. & Sun.. 12:30 p.m. to close
~I~~~~~~~~I
631-788-7246
fishers island,ny . 631.788.7299
SlImmer ]00] . Fisllers Island Gaune 43
~~"'jter&Waymarine
CAPTAIN ANDREW HEUBLEIN
,y'
~"
~.~
> courier service . l...-..
> crew & equipment transport ....= =
> U.S.C.G. certified for 18 passengers
> ocean taxI
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(!f'/Jtlrt;1114!mlfl ;\lO(ll1k, .wnli(in~!-::::.g IS!!.!!J.d:.$ou.~{d,
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ON CAll 24 HOURS > mobile 860.460.2462 > home 860.536.1310
+Daily pick-up and delivery at the Fishers Island ferry+
. HAND FINISHED LINENS,
SHEETS,TABLECLOTHS,ETC.
. ALTERATIONS
. SHIRT LAUNDERING
. SUEDES & LEATHERS
. WEDDING GOWNS CLEANED
AND PRESERVED
. SHOE REPAIR
. DRAPERIES
EST. 1914
Specializing in Fine Garment Care
DRY CLEANERS
442-5316
fax 442-3318 CIC
.
2 Montauk Ave., New London
(Corner of Bank and Montauk)
Call to arrange charge account and personal laundry bag.
N6LAROMlASCLALAR TH6R.AP)t
Spods Massage
'Repe)Cologl!
M6.NA MO'RC\:AN LM.T.
HOlAsecalls b~ Appoi~tn\ent
Lie. #4680
Pal~ Beach
(561) 313-6370
Fishet"s Islal'\d
(631) 788-7387
h
~
IvyRobichaux, Jr.
GENERAL CONTRACTING SERVICES
HomeImprovement, Repair & Maintenance
Island references available
Shop 788-7732
Licensed& Insured #20.946-HI Since 1992
-
Vintage ornamental seaside garden set. Sturdy iron, scallop shell and
seahorse motif, with new teak.type seating impervious to weather.
$875 (includes delivery to fishers Island)
Sam Gordon 212.763-0354 or sgordon@bentleylp.com
~ KaIamian's
~ 'e RUIl Shop,...
-~~~I
(Jl4l/ity " ,
S"l'riit" .
Si"t" lll~li '
Wools. Broadloom. Patterns. Berbers. Sisals
FINE HANDKNOTTED ORIENTAL RUGS
Cleaning .Repairs . Binding. Serging
860-442-061 S
963 Bank St.. New London
;s 1&1Jaru
....s~
6iShell!l iSQa"d, ".y. . 788-7678
PO Box 167
Fishers Island NY 06390
631-788-7645
CHRIS & TRUDI EDWARDS
Delivery Available
. BOl"'n on Fishel"'S Island: (I.r) Charles B. Ferguson, born June 30, 1918 on the kitchen table at his family's Middle Farms homestead. Falcon Hill. to
Marion (Benner) and Henry L. Ferguson. Delivered by Richmond. Va. summer doctor, Benjamin Grey. . Richard Baker, born Feb. 8, 1926 to Gladys
and Harold Baker. Bakers came to Island in 1921 when Mr. Baker was superindendent of Ferguson Farm. Myth or legend? A snowstorm prevented
them from leaving the Island. . Robert E. Wall, born Feb. 9, 1942 to Ann and Ernest Wall. Mrs. Wall came to FI in 1927 to work for the power
company. Ft. Wright rule permitted the first child of a civilian to be born at the military hospital. . Carey Matthiessen, born pl"'ematurely Aug.
IS, 1928 to Betty and Matty Matthiessen. Ft. Wright Army doctor responded to the emergency call.
nSHERSGAZ:t,'j iF
ISLAND .
Box 573
Fishers Island NY 06390
FIRST CLASS
FIRST-CLASS MAIL
us POSTAGE
PAID
HARTFORD CT
PERMIT NO 945
No Exp C
Ms Belly Neville
South old Town Clerk
PO Box 1179
Southold, NY 11971