As a kid, a rainy summer day in Gloucester in the 1960s meant a movie at the theater on Main Street, Candle Pin Bowling by the dreaded rotary, a museum, or arts and crafts at home with WSBK on the TV as background noise. When it came to arts and crafts, it was a mix of writing and addressing postcards my mother insisted my sister and I send to friends and relatives before school started in the fall, and my weird, creative, warped mind screwing with those postcards. My mother blamed it on MAD Magazine, which is why I read it. Years later I would work for MAD, so there you go, mom!

Decades before the computer, email or Photoshop, I would sit and cut out pictures from magazines and newspapers, then using gobs of Elmer’s Glue to paste them onto the postcards. Each one a piece of art. No longer would I hear how anyone got the same postcard, and considering there were only six different postcards available at Mal’s (then Ame’s, now a giant Stop& Shop), it was quite an accomplishment.

During the 1980s I was able to make color copies of postcards I was still defacing. I now have folders full of them, from cities around the country, but Gloucester will always be my favorite place to make the recipients wonder if the town is a little too weird.

“Kaboom” J. Schneider

U.S. Dory Elimination Races

The International Dory Racing Committee will hold it’s elimination races off Niles Beach Saturday August 3rd at 9 AM.  All racing fans are encouraged to attend!!  Those dues paying members who plan to race must attend sign ups Friday evening August 2nd at St. Peter’s Square at 6 PM or email before 12 noon.  These races are strictly for 2 person teams in the following categories:  Juniors (men under 19), Women, Mixed Doubles, Seniors (Men Open) and Master’s (Men over 50), and will determine who will represent the US against Canada in the upcoming International Races in Lunenburg Nova Scotia on August 17th.  If needed there will be a finals race on Monday night at 6 PM at Niles beach.
Please share this with friends and family.  It will be a great day of racing, uniquely Gloucester, and fun for all!

Good Afternoon,

This is a reminder to register for Gloucester High School and O’Maley Middle School Fall Sports ASAP.  All student-athletes need to pre-register for their sports.

All Student-athletes must have the following completed prior to tryouts, or they will not be allowed to participate until finalized. 

1. Register on FamilyID

https://www.familyid.com/ gloucester-public-schools-ma- athletics/athletes-only- gloucester-high-school-and-o- maley-middle-school-fall-2019- athletics-registration

2. Complete the Online Concussion Course, and save the completed certificate to your FamilyID registration.

Link to concussion course:

https://nfhslearn.com/courses/ 61059/concussion-for-students

*All student-athletes must complete the course for the 2019-20 school year.  Certificates from 2018-19 are expired.

3. All athletes must have documentation of an up to date physical within the past 13 months.  Best to download the physical exam paperwork on to your FamilyID registration.

*If you are a returning athlete, and registering on FamilyID, your past physical should automatically upload as long as you are using your same login values.  If you create a different login, then any old information will not carry over.

4. Check payable to Gloucester High School Athletics for your user fee.  Can be mailed to “GHS Athletics, 32 Leslie O. Johnson Rd, Gloucester, MA 01930”

All student-athletes must have past uniforms and user fees turned in to the Athletic Department, or student-athletes will be held out of their respective sport.

REMINDER: STUDENT-ATHLETES WILL BE WITHHELD FROM PARTICIPATION OF ACTIVITIES UNTIL EVERYTHING IS COMPLETED.

Important Fall Sports Dates:

There will be a mandatory parent/student-athlete meeting in early to mid August (time/date TBA).  All student-athletes, and at least 1 parent/guardian, must attend this meeting.  This meeting will be run by your sports Varsity Coach, so all must be in attendance.

Tuesday August 13th: Parents/Student-Athlete Meeting – 6pm in GHS field house.  All athletes & at least 1 parent guardian must attend.  This meeting is very important as the Head Coach of all sports will provide details on your preseason, regular season, and other sport specific program details.

Tuesday August 20th: Registration for Fall Sports Closes

Thursday August 22nd: All GHS Sports Tryouts/Practices Begin (O’Maley sports may be on 8/22 or closer to start of school year)

*Football officially begins on 8/16/19, per MIAA protocol

O’Maley Middle School Student-Athletes on GHS Teams

At this time, all GHS sports are open for 9th-12th graders to register.  Decisions and waiver requests for middle schoolers, to play high school sports, are on a sport by sport basis once there is a good idea of registration status.  If a GHS sport is opened up to 8th graders or 7th & 8th graders we will post that publicly and on FamilyID registration.

Fall Sports Offered

Fall Sports offered for GHS Students – Cheerleading, Cross Country (B/G), Field Hockey, Football, Golf, Soccer (B/G)

Fall Sports offered for O’Maley Students – Cross Country (B/G), Field Hockey

Come on down to the 61st Annual Sidewalk Bazaar on Main street in Gloucester. Stop by the Chamber Booth and we will tell you what numbers are available in this year’s Low Number Plate Online Auction!

Online info www.lovecapeann.com

This turkey family accompanied me on my morning walk near Magnolia recently. I guess it’s probably more accurate to say that I accompanied them! My own turkey trot.

This is how they do lobster logos down on Cape Cod-

Now call me crazy but I’m going to go out on a limb and say that any kid on Cape Ann (the far superior Cape in every way) could do better.

So here’s how we’re gonna prove it.

Any kid under 16 years old that wants to create a lobster sign logo that has the two phrases- “Captain Joe and Sons” and “Cape Ann” on it instead of the sign from Cape Cod  that says “Barlow’s” and “Clam Shack”

will be entered onto a vote on GMG.  The sign that gets the most votes I’ll give a $20 gift certificate for Surfari.

I believe 100% that our youth will lay an absolute smackdown on the inferior Cape’s rendition of a lobster sign.

Submit your kid’s lobster logo at goodmorninggloucester @ yahoo.com