Sesquicentennial

     In 1967 our little town of Boston, New York had a year-long celebration of its SesquiCentennial! The town was founded in 1817, and so in 1967, it was 150 years old – and that is what sesquicentennial kind of means.

     Oh my goodness – so in two years, Boston, New York will be 200 years old – I wonder if there will be bicentennial events going on?

     Well, back then, at the age of 12, I did not know when our town was founded, or what sesqui meant, or that people actually celebrated such things.

     In January of 1967, the men in the town were instructed not to shave! They were supposed to emulate the look of the early settlers in the town – and apparently, the pioneers did not shave. I think this was more of a visible way to be a part of the festivities than to really try to look like someone from 150 years earlier. Instead of wearing a button that said Boston is 150 years old, or a tee shirt that said Sesqui-Centennial! the men were supposed to go around town with beards! Furthermore, Dad said that a clean-shaven man could be penalized with a monetary fine! Of course it was not enforceable – just fun.

     Dad tried to go without shaving, but not for too long, maybe a month. Then he shaved but left a mustache. He hoped that the mustache would keep him from getting fined - Dad wanted to be a cheerful participant in the town's happenings. This might have been because he was a member of the Democratic club in Boston – and it could have been the club itself that put forth some of the sesquicentennial rules for the year!

     I am fairly sure that Mom did not like the mustache at all. I myself remember thinking it was cool – not many of my friend's Dads had any facial hair. But I guess Dad never really cared for the mustacheit disappeared as soon as 1968 rolled around!

     There is little else I remember about the sesquicentennial – I think in the summer of '67 there was a party with straw hats and barbeque and stuff like that – down by the town hall – but I might be imagining it. Mom bought a plate that says Boston, New York and founded 1817 on it – and I'm sure it was a souvenir from 1967 – and since the plate now stands on my hutch, I know it was not imagined!

    If it were not for having grown up in my small town, I might never have known what would get Dad to grow a mustache or to even contemplate not shaving; I might never have seen what Democrats can decree and actually get done; and I might never have known what sesqui means – and that's important to someone who likes to show off what little knowledge she has.

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