Gloucester v Norton Nov. 6, 2022, 2:30pm Newell Stadium. Let’s go Fishermen!

My View of Life on the Dock
Gloucester v Norton Nov. 6, 2022, 2:30pm Newell Stadium. Let’s go Fishermen!
Gloucester v Norton Nov. 6, 2022, 2:30pm Newell Stadium. Let’s go Fishermen!
Two days away! Gloucester v Norton Nov. 6, 2022, 2:30pm Newell Stadium. Let’s go Fishermen!
Thanks to the boosters’ fundraising, customers at the snack booth & booster events, and local sponsors (including Classic Cooks, Markouk Bread, Sclafani Bakery) the GHS Boys soccer raised $1000 for the American Cancer Society. Way to go Fishermen!
Team photo by Dawn Enos
GHS 10/8/2022
JV games at 2!
Girls varsity at 4!
Boys varsity at 6!
BONUS: Raffles and part of concession go to American Cancer Society
home game today at New Balance field Newell
honetiwn games tonight!
Congratulations Class of 2022!
The individual signs for the Class of 2022 students lining the boulevard are alphabetized A-K on one side of the Fisherman at the Wheel and L-Z on the other.
Love the customized scoreboard
Caps!
Beautiful diplomas sponsored by Cape Ann Savings Bank
1623 Studios livestreamed the event here: Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/1623Studios/.
Did you miss Round 1 of the tournament? Not to worry! Cape Ann Live filmed the game. Find them on YouTube Cape Ann Live Gloucester vs East Boston Varsity Soccer (Replay) 11/6/21
Since the October storm: “Unfortunately, we had the same issues at Newell Stadium (11/6/2021)…Slow, sporadic internet connection which caused us to get knocked off while livecasting the soccer game. I’ve been in contact with the school IT guys and hopefully it will be fixed by Wednesday’s game. But fear not, the game was recorded in camera so it will be available in its entirety on Cape Ann LIVE’s Facebook and YouTube pages! Please share the link and enjoy the game!”– Cape Ann LIVE
How nice to have any film, whether or not the live feed is up. Thanks GHS Fishermen Athletics, IT, DPW, all!
Should be a great match up of a seed 8 vs. a seed 9! They have a long trip here for this game. Winner travels to Belchertown. See tix information below. $10 / $5 students & seniors
Read Nick Curcuru GDT coverage of Game 1 here: “Gloucester Soccer Boys Dismantles East Boston in First Round Rout”
Check out GHS Fishermen Athletics all sports – website, Facebook and Twitter
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsGoFan is the preferred method to purchase tickets for the MIAA Tournament games.
— GHS Fishermen Athletics (@FishermenGhs) November 8, 2021
11/10- Boys ⚽️ (6pm)
$10 Adults & $5 Students/Senior Citizens
Please click here to purchase: https://t.co/wbgTUVVNR8
Have your electronic ticket on your phone at gate arrival. @GDTSports pic.twitter.com/lgsGDPBorw
A Wall Street Journal article published March 23, 2021, “The Staying Inside Guide: Big-Deal Art in Plain-Spoken Venues” by Judith H. Dobrzynski, celebrates New Deal works of art across the country.
The reporter highlights Coit Tower in San Francisco as one renowned example.
“The New Deal murals inside Coit Tower in San Francisco are also well-known. Painted by some two-dozen artists in 1934, they are social realist panels about life in California during the Depression, with titles like “Banking and Law” and “Meat Industry.” Their story, with a detailed layout, is available in a San Francisco Recreation and Park Department brochure.”
Judith H. Dobrzynski for WSJ
The reverse ratio is evident here: Gloucester selected four artists who completed scores of masterworks* for specific public buildings. Monumental stunning mural cycles were commissioned under the auspices of Federal Arts PWAP and WPA-era programs from 1935-42 for Sawyer Free Library, City Hall, the High School on Dale Ave (now Central Grammar apartments), Hovey, Maplewood, and Forbes elementary schools. As schools were closed, disposed, or repurposed, murals were rescued and resited within City Hall and later O’Maley.
The City of Gloucester artists were significant muralists and painters. In truth, venerated. They captured stories of Gloucester and became a celebrated part of our history and artistry. When considered as a whole, the Gloucester murals rival WPA era collections completed in big cities. The density of murals are as concentrated as any found in larger cities, like Coit Tower in San Francisco, though spread out among buildings rather than one tower, or one structure, as with Harlem Hospital. Gloucester’s post office nearly landed a commission, but fate intervened. I’ll save that for the Part 2 post.
Gloucester and greater Cape Ann artists were commissioned for murals beyond Gloucester and Massachusetts and served key roles on selection panels and planning.
In recent years thanks to a CPA award, the Williamstown Art Conservation Center, established in 1978 to help museums with conservation, evaluated the condition of the city’s historic Depression era collection to help with important restoration. Gloucester’s impressive collection itself is the museum and the city a work of art that continues to inspire generations of artists.
Gloucester is not mentioned in this WSJ article or few major compilations. “Though painted by nationally known and successful artists at the top of their game, the works have suffered from a perfect storm of anonymity.”
Catherine Ryan, 2012
*The quantity of murals is 68 if one includes the five O’Toole murals from the 1940s. Note: because the Gloucester murals are multi-piece or series, the sections tally up to a whopping 75-90 count.
Within Sawyer Free Library are the city’s only New Deal works painted directly on plaster walls. Frederick Stoddard’s designs throughout the Saunders house encompass the first floor entryway, two story stairwell, and 2nd story wrap around stairwell hall. He described this two-story “decoration” above wainscotting upstairs and down as “a conventionalized treatment of the Gloucester region”. Familiar scenes include Dogtown “Moors”.
Marine scenes wrap around the former children’s space on the top floor.
A Gloucester Daily Times article from 1934 mentions a trifecta opening honoring the architectural overhaul for the building, new murals, and Rachel Webber’s retirement:
“July 25, 1934- “The public reception at the Sawyer Free Library yesterday afternoon was for three purposes: to observe the 50th anniversary of the occupancy of the present building, to give a public showing to the mural decorations recently completed by Fredercik L. Stoddard and to the entirely restored and renovated building, and to recognize 44 years of service by Miss Rachel S. Webber, librarian who is to retire in the fall…The building has been completely repaired and largely restored. The three story tower which had been built on the front of the building has been removed*, as has the old porch which extended across the front of the house, leaving only an entrance porch. A bay window facing Dale avenue which the architects decided spoiled the character of the building has been sliced off. Everything has been painted and repaired and new lights have been installed.”
*all work near murals!
Howard Curtis assisted Stoddard with some repair work as a result (and was brought back again in 1953, 1974, and 1976-1980). In 1935, Curtis was busy completing his original “The Creation of Light” commission for the Methodist Episcopal Church on Prospect Street (now apartments).
Within O’Maley Innovation Middle School are a complete though out of order Frederick Mulhaupt series (originally at Maplewood); a partial and crucial section from a 2nd immersive series (originally at the High School); and “Our Daily Bread” by Frederick Stoddard, cropped. There are important works by Larry O’Toole commissioned by Ben Pine for the Gloucester Fishermen Institute and YMCA that were painted in the 1940s. Ron Gilson, Gloucester native, author and local historian, helped with the attribution and remembered the completed art being carried out the door. Gilson was great friends with Ben Pine, his first boss, and knew O’Toole.
above: sections from Mulhaupt’s fantastical “Landing of the Viking Thorwald in Vinland” 1935; and central panel “Gloucester harbor” 1936 | below: DPW inspecting the O’Toole 1940s murals (photo 2015)
Within City Hall, there are 10 monumental New Deal murals by four artists: Charles Allan Winter, Frederick Stoddard, Frederick Mulhaupt, and Oscar Anderson. Three are multi panels so the collection in this building seems much greater than 10 murals. The Winters in the lobby and Kyrouz were site-specific for City Hall.
One is a small Stoddard panel from a triptych spanning 65 feet for Eastern Avenue School!
I’ll follow up with posts detailing more biographical information about the artists.
The City of Gloucester murals have the potential to be listed among the nation’s most concentrated holdings of New Deal art from the 1930s and 40s on public view anywhere today. However, they are not all on view. Historic murals not on display await further conservation treatment.
Frederick Stoddard set up a studio in an unused room of the Point Primary School in East Gloucester to paint a variety of panels for the Forbes school. African animals by a waterhole, “the only liberty was animals all close to each other and peaceful,” accompany scenes of wild animals & birds and domestic animals. An underwater scene of local fish and vegetation is missing. I imagine every child and adult found it impossible to settle on just one favorite animal.
The largest composition stretched almost 20 feet. Joseph Nunes helped Stoddard with the installation.
This pair from the series were set over the doorways leading to classrooms. Each measures 5′ x 5′, so tall ceilings. Do they look familiar?
Did you attend or are you related to someone who was enrolled at the Forbes elementary school in 1935? Perhaps you visited one of the special viewing days set aside for the public. Fun fact: There have been seven Forbes school locations if we include the two modulars from the 1920s.
Oscar Anderson painted seven soft hued and dreamy murals for Hovey School including three panoramas. Four smaller works from this school are missing since ca.1972 or later. Does seeing a few of them together help you picture the Hovey school interior?
Beyond art, Gloucester benefited from multiple New Deal projects big and small. The Jodrey State Fish Pier was a Public Works Administration (PWA) biggie. Emergency funds allocated through the Treasury department paid for new public buildings like Gloucester’s post office.
The WPA helped Gloucester finally cap off the new track and field on Centennial. For years Gloucester residents were asked to dump their trash to build up landfill. The recreation space (now New Balance Field at Newell Stadium) was recognized nationally and dubbed, “Gloucester WPA Centennial Avenue Athletic Field”.
“The benefits of men working has changed unsightly, unhealthy Gloucester dumping ground into a modern fully equipped athletic and recreation field.”
1937 WPA bulletin
WPA Athletic Field 1937 – before GHS (Gloucester vista painted by Edward Hopper, now at the MFA)
Super complimentary letter from Colorado in response to the Gloucester story:
“I have just received your bulletin of October and I cannot refrain from writing to say that I think your inside spread showing the original dumping grounds, the football game, and a panorama of the athletic field at Centennial Avenue Gloucester, is one of the most remarkable photographic histories for public information that I have seen. How fortunate it was that your photographer saw it to get that first picture. It merits very widespread contemplation.”
Very respectfully yours,ERNEST W CORN
Assistant State Administrator Division of Information Service. Denver, Colorado
The field also gained coverage with other WPA football projects
WPA salvage work helped to build a new seawall at Stage Fort Park for flood and erosion control – “More than 3500 tons of stone set in cement were required in the construction of this 1100 foot WPA sea wall at Stage Fort Park, Cressey Beach, Gloucester. The wall preserves the beach area by preventing water and driven sand from flooding the park property.”
“At City Home, Gloucester, WPA razed a dilapidated wooden structure and built an all-stone garage and storage shed. These buildings will be used jointly by the City Home and the Welfare Department.”
Contributions in support of murals needing treatment can be sent to the “City of Gloucester”, note for mural conservation, City Hall, 9 Dale Avenue, Gloucester, MA 01930
11/18/2020 4:10pm
A fishing boat set out and I bet a GMG reader knows who it was. What a gorgeous setting for home games.
At other times we’ve been treated to great flocks of birds, schooners, cruise ship, and an ever busy back up at the cut.
The games are the real deal. And the site is singular!
A Cape Ann Pee-Wee Football All-Star Game will be taking place on Saturday, November 30 at New Balance Field at Newell Stadium to benefit long time league board member and referee, Randy Burns. Randy recently suffered a tragic accident which has left him paralyzed from the chest down. He is determined to continue fighting with the same spirit that he used to serve the children of our community for the past fifteen years as a football referee and Little League umpire. Please come and attend the B level game starting at 12:00 and the A level game immediately following to show your support for Randy. Admission is a voluntary donation at the gate.
We also have bracelets with “Randy” on one side and “Strong” on the other side available for a $5.00 donation. If you would like one and cannot attend the benefit, please call RoseAnne at 978-335-0755 or Jill at 978-283-0308.
A Cape Ann Pee-Wee Football All-Star Game will be taking place on Saturday, November 30 at New Balance Field at Newell Stadium to benefit long time league board member and referee, Randy Burns. Randy recently suffered a tragic accident which has left him paralyzed from the chest down. He is determined to continue fighting with the same spirit that he used to serve the children of our community for the past fifteen years as a football referee and Little League umpire. Please come and attend the B level game starting at 12:00 and the A level game immediately following to show your support for Randy. Admission is a voluntary donation at the gate.
We also have bracelets with “Randy” on one side and “Strong” on the other side available for a $5.00 donation. If you would like one and cannot attend the benefit, please call RoseAnne at 978-335-0755 or Jill at 978-283-0308.
Click below for slide show of the Parade and fans.