Notebook on an Auction

It was a splendid night, this first Monday in August, and a splendid new venue for the annual Possible Dreams auction: an elegant tent in Ocean Park with the moon rising over the sea beyond. A few years ago, when the event was postponed due to rain, organizers learned the hard way that some big spenders could stretch their weekends to Monday night but not another night, so they addressed that. The auction is now weatherproof, yet still picture-perfect Martha’s Vineyard.

Zachariah Howwoswee Jr. was the last Aquinnah preacher to speak to his flock in his native language, Wôpanâak. By the early 19th century, there were few parishioners left who could understand him. Forced to give his sermons mostly in English, he would revert to Wôpanâak to make his most particular points to his flock. At these times, an observer wrote, “he would cry, and they would cry.”

Clocking the Turkey

From Gazette editions of August, 1934:

Continuing the Conversation on Race

On the evening of Wednesday, July 29, the Vineyard Conservation Society presented a public information forum titled Ponds in Peril. Several speakers analyzed problems in various Island ponds leading to declining water quality and pond health.

Throughout the evening, emphasis was focused on nitrogen excess as a primary cause of eutrophication and the consequences thereof. Sources of nitrogen were identified as resulting principally from human presence and activities.

Story Misses the Mark

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

Regarding the recent Gazette article title: “Bikram Yoga Puts Sweat Over Spirituality in a Heated Workout:”

Wikipedia defines Spirituality as: “Matters of the Spirit.” The definition of Spirit is cited as: “Spirit, like soul, forms a natural part of a being: such people may identify spirit with mind, or with consciousness.”