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Heard Around Town: Watching the history detectives

By Alan Burke
Staff writer
Published: July 10, 2008

Karen MacInnis of the Marblehead Historical Society and Museum got a lot of reaction from her recent Salem News story revealing her sleuthlike use of a black light to seek out the creator of a nearly 200-year-old embroidery.

Friends have advised her that she should be on the PBS program "History Detectives." Others simply leave a song on her message machine, Elvis Costello's "Watching the Detectives."

"Invisible shivers running down my spine ..."

Marblehead is history

Salem State College professors brought their students to town on Tuesday (to study the Revolutionary War), and they plan to bring them back next Tuesday (to study the Civil War). They toured the Lee Mansion this week, and they'll see the GAR room next week.

A doctoral candidate with a revolutionary name, Bethany Jay (John Jay helped write the Federalist Papers) helped lead the group, which examined a letter in the museum's collection to Lt. Nathaniel Lindsay in 1775, advising him on behalf of Gen. George Washington that "on your march to refresh (the men) at any Public house ... on your arrival at Cape Ann to put your Selves under the Command of (Marblehead hero) Col. John Glover."

A New Jersey native, Jay recalled that New England isn't the only place with a rich history. Lots happened in New Jersey, too, including the attack on Trenton in 1776.

"And," she pointed out, "Washington slept everywhere."

Your mileage may vary

Bob Ross, the assistant director of accounting, says that, according to a long-standing policy, if you drive your own car on town business you get the mileage rate for last December.

The Internal Revenue Service recently adjusted its standard rate to 58 cents per mile, the second increase in 2008. But Marblehead employees will continue to get 48.5 cents per mile.

Sometimes the town's policy has worked in favor of employees. The price of gas and the standard rate could drop, but the town continues to pay the December rate. That happened last in 1997 when the rate went from 32.5 cents to 31 cents.

"It very rarely goes down," Ross says.

But you already knew that.

Numbers crunch

Local schools' numbers man Dave Keniston has departed for a job with the Andover public schools. He did it, explains School Committeewoman Patricia Blackmer, to be closer to his home in Tewksbury.

Superintendent Paul Dulac was scheduled to interview four potential replacements today. "Dave is one of the better business managers I ever worked with," he said. "He's a straight shooter."

"We're going to miss Dave dearly," Blackmer said.

Meanwhile, school officials have chosen a design firm, Symmes, to plan the renovation of Village School.

Salem comes to town

An iconic Salem image is now hanging in the Marblehead Arts Association's King Hooper Mansion. It's a spot-on painting of Steve's Quality Market seen at dusk, illuminated from within and faintly suggesting the fruits and vegetables version of Edward Hopper's "Nighthawks." Association Director Deb Greel is particularly eager to show this — it was done by her new husband, structural engineer and model train buff John Wathney of Salem.

Steve's Market manager Peter Ingemi is pleased to see his store immortalized on canvas.

"You work hard," he says. "There's all the nonsense. But you work hard. It's like a wheelbarrow — my father always told me — it only works if you push it.

"Then you see that (painting), and you realize someone appreciates it. And it's not only about money. ... I've got to go look at it."

He's toying with the idea of buying the painting.

Photos