In the late 19^th century women were second class citizens. It was not until an act by the CT General Assembly in 1877 that married women were given control over their own property. The earnings of the wife were her own and she had the power to make contracts and dispose of her real and personal estate. In 1893 women could vote for school officers. In 1897 married women could be the executrix of a will and guardians of minors. In Norwich In 1902 two women were registered to vote in the 2^nd congressional district – Jennie P. Swan and Grace Willey. There were nineteen women in the 6^th congressional district and only 6 of the 19 did not have a male counterpart registered to vote at the same address.  It was not until 1909 that women were permitted to vote on library or school issues.

In Willimantic in 1895 the members of a local equal rights club organized a campaign to unseat a powerful member of the school board and to consolidate school districts. Women turned out to vote in such large numbers that the men put up a ladder to the second floor voting hall and scrambled in ahead of the women using the staircase. The voting turnout by the women though increased from approximately 200 to 975 voters, an increase of almost 500 percent and the women were victorious  

Tuesday, November 5^th is election day. This year it is to elect local offices Mayor, City Council, City Treasurer, School Board and to voice a yea or a nay for a bond issue. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to vote and everyone should use that opportunity to vote. It is your chance to be heard without making a speech.

In the late 19^th century women were second class citizens. It was not until an act by the CT General Assembly in 1877 that married women were given control over their own property. The earnings of the wife were her own and she had the power to make contracts and dispose of her real and personal estate. In 1893 women could vote for school officers. In 1897 married women could be the executrix of a will and guardians of minors. In Norwich In 1902 two women were registered to vote in the 2^nd congressional district – Jennie P. Swan and Grace Willey. There were nineteen women in the 6^th congressional district and only 6 of the 19 did not have a male counterpart registered to vote at the same address.  It was not until 1909 that women were permitted to vote on library or school issues.

In Willimantic in 1895 the members of a local equal rights club organized a campaign to unseat a powerful member of the school board and to consolidate school districts. Women turned out to vote in such large numbers that the men put up a ladder to the second floor voting hall and scrambled in ahead of the women using the staircase. The voting turnout by the women though increased from approximately 200 to 975 voters, an increase of almost 500 percent and the women were victorious  

Tuesday, November 5^th is election day. This year it is to elect local offices Mayor, City Council, City Treasurer, School Board and to voice a yea or a nay for a bond issue. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to vote and everyone should use that opportunity to vote. It is your chance to be heard without making a speech.

With all the chatter about the hanging of the Freedom Bell in the David Ruggles Arch in front of the Norwich City Hall I made a quick check on the bells of America to see if there was any connection to Norwich, CT.

Lo and behold there was! It seems that Benjamin Hanks was an apprentice of Norwich clockmaker Thomas Harland in 1772 until he established his own clock business. Hanks is considered by historians to be the father of the church bell and the bronze cannon business in the United States.

In 1780 Hanks was contracted to make the tower clock for the Old Dutch Church in New York City and he cast his first bell at the same time.  In 1783 Hanks was awarded an intellectual rights patent for this self-winding clock that continued to operate until the mechanical parts wore out due to friction.

Hanks also fashioned the first two bronze cannons made in the United States in 1797 for the First Company of Connecticut Artillery.

By the way – If a self-winding clock  sounds amazing for the 1700’s you should see the doll made by Swiss watchmaker Pierre Jaquet-Droz he had nothing to do with Norwich. The programmable doll is able to write a short series of words using a real quill and pot of ink.

When I walked in a store yesterday I was assaulted with holiday music and suggestions to buy gifts and decorations by the big stores. When I thought about it for a minute I recalled this Facebook posting in October 2013 by Thayer’s Marine, Inc. It is just one of the reasons why I am always encouraging people to shop and buy locally.

I like to encourage people to think out of the box for items they want or need or as gifts. We, as a community want the personal care and service that local businesses give to us. I hear people say that they like to go to places and leave their money in places where they are considered to be individuals so why not spend your money locally. Spread good words about local businesses. The Thayers posting certainly speaks why more eloquently than I can –

“I know that people generally use Facebook and social media as a tool to spread the negative word, I have fallen victim to it in the past, but sometimes the good word must be spread…

A customer came to me just under two weeks ago and he had been rear ended on I-91 and his boat had some damage, mainly the gear case for his outboard motor was destroyed. The insurance company of the lady who rear ended him dragged their feet on all aspects of the claim, which we do expect, but he was leaving for vacation tomorrow, the 10th of September and wanted to take his boat. Yesterday, at 1pm we finally received the approval. We would have ordered the gearcase ahead of time, but if the insurance only approved a rebuild, we would have been stuck with a gear case that we seldom see a need for, and when you are talking about thousands of dollars in parts, its tough to have that sitting on the shelf. I called Evinrude at 1pm yesterday, and they stepped up, to help me OVERNIGHT (that is correct, OVERNIGHT, an oversized, overweight package). This had absolutely nothing to do with them, and this speaks to just how great of a company they are for me to work with. I wanted to ensure that they receive proper thanks!”

1920 Norwich was a place of activity. There were always a variety of places to go and things to do. There were shops, restaurants, tea houses and a bar or two. OK maybe there were three of four bars, but there were also theaters, music halls, dance halls and the new movie houses where a person played the organ or a piano for sound effects while frames of actors in exaggerated movements played silently on a large screen or curtain with words describing the action or script appearing every few frames.

This was all new technology. Profitable too. The stages did not need to be deep. No props were needed and no actors needed to be paid.  More seats could be installed and devoted to paying patrons.

The movie theaters in Norwich would be filled on Friday and Saturday nights. The movies were an affordable form of entertainment for the poor and the wealthy.

On Friday, October 25^th at 7:30 PM Christ Church School of the Arts is bringing back a silent movie horror film treasure that may well have played in Norwich when it was first released in 1920.  Everyone is invited to dress up in costumes and watch the movie while Robert Humphreville plays the organ.

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is one of the first modern German Expressionist horror film classics. It is filled with warped sets, lots of shadows and really heavy makeup.

It is also one of the first serious films with a “twist” ending. You never are really sure of what is going on, and you are soon caught up in trying to figure out who is committing the murders.  Its the story of a traveling magician Dr Caligari and Cesare. Their arrival in a town coincides with some savage killings.Hint: Secretly Caligari was an asylum director who hypnotized Cesare to re-enact murders. But the final reel contains something which leaves the audience shattered. You can see it on You-tube but its honestly not the same.

This is a perfect date movie for ages 12 and up and very affordable for a donation of $5.00 per person. Don’t miss it!  For more information call 860.425.0663 Christ Church School of the Arts, 78 Washington Street, Norwich, CT.

Election Day is nearing and I wish I had this thought earlier. I would like to see an exhibit of the election paraphernalia from years past. I would like to see how those running for local attention in the 1800’s and the 1900’s ran for election. Yes I want to see the campaign stuff of the winners but I want to see the stuff of the losers too.

I want to see how the promises have changed over the years. Have the promises changed over the years?

I want to see more than newspaper advertisements and brochures.  Many of us throughout the city limits and beyond have pencils, rulers, yard sticks, pins and other bits and pieces from old campaigns at the back of drawers. They each had a slogan. It would be fun to bring them out and share them with others.

What do you think town committees? What treasures do you have stored away?

It may be too late to pull this exhibit off this year but not to worry there will be another local election soon enough and it is not too early to begin planning the exhibit for then.

I wonder if we are seeing the last gasps of the old fashioned job fairs. I remember attending job fairs in the past in huge rooms with dozens of employers in booths and at tables each having a variety of job openings. Potential employers tried to get the attention of attendees with giveaways, balloons and candy. There were so many potential employers it was easy to run out of resumes before you were through the first aisle. Some potential employers were able to make appointments for interviews on the spot. I learned about the responsibilities of many jobs I honestly did not know existed at job fairs.

Not so any more. I recently attended a job fair that while very well run was nothing more than a mill to process people for a count of numbers. The number of businesses represented and the number of people through the doors looking for work.

The types of potential employers in attendance have changed. There was not one business there looking for a manufacturing machine operator or a clerical worker. There was one business there looking for experienced construction workers for the Stamford area. There were a number of potential employers  for sales people who work on commission selling vacuum cleaners, insurance and financial products to their friends and family. There was a local hospital accepting applications for nurses. Part-time job coaches for the disabled were being recruited by a couple of different agencies. There were a limited number of positions available at a seasonal inbound call center on the shoreline and a place looking for independent truck drivers.

There was a line of people using their very best manners waiting to get in to see their potential new employer from the moment the doors opened until they closed at the end of the day. Eyes and smiles were bright their conversations hopeful of who they were to see and meet.

It was the silence I noticed as I was leaving. No chatter between friends. No phone conversations. No pictures being taken. It was eerily quiet. As businesses in Connecticut become smaller will we stop seeing job fairs all together and what will take their place?