Listen to Lou: Vintage Swampscott at the Fish House Wednesday

1) Newsbit of the Day:

Courtesy of Anne Driscoll

Local Historian to Give Fish Tales From the Fish House Lecture on Vintage Swampscott May 22

Swampscott Yacht Club hosts free community lecture with Lou Gallo

The Swampscott Yacht Club is hosting its seventh Fish Tales from the Fish House lecture “Vintage Swampscott” featuring renowned local historian Lou Gallo who will show historic photos of Swampscott and tell tales about the town’s rich and colorful past.

The lecture will take place at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 22 at the Swampscott Yacht Club, which is on the second floor of the Fish House at Fisherman’s Beach in Swampscott. Lou Gallo is a revered member of the Swampscott Historical Society, which was founded in 1920 and meets monthly at the Swampscott Public Library.

A cash bar will be open. The lecture is free and open to the public but reservations are required. For more information and to make reservations, call 781.962.5587.

“This is a very important opportunity for the public to see photographs and hear stories about our rich maritime heritage. We are happy to welcome the community to the yacht club and we’re pleased that Fish Tales from the Fish House is becoming established as a new tradition in Swampscott,” said Steve Speranza, Vice Commodore of the Swampscott Yacht Club at 425 Humphrey Street. “Many people have specifically asked for Lou to do a lecture and we’re thrilled he’s agreed to share his fish tales and photos.”

The Swampscott Yacht Club is housed at the Fish House, which was built in 1896, is on the National Historic Register of Historic Places and is the only municipal fish house on the East Coast. The Yacht Club is celebrating its 80th birthday with the public this year with an open house, special membership promotions and a birthday cake on May 11 from 1 to 4 p.m. The lecture series was conceived of, in part, to share the richness of community life and the history of coastal Swampscott, as well as introduce community members to the treasured Fish House.

The Swampscott Yacht Club is a volunteer club founded in 1933 for the purpose of promoting yachting and sailboat racing. Located on the second floor of the Fish House, there are about 200 members, roughly half of whom are boaters, enjoying fishing, sailing, power boating, kayaking or rowing. Membership costs as little as $340 per year. 

2) Town and School Watch:

The School Committee and the Board of Selectmen meet Wednesday at 7 p.m., the committee at the high school and selectmen at Town Hall.

3) Swampscott Academics:

Seniors had their last day of classes Friday. This week they are taking senior exams.

4) Weather Watch: 

Patchy fog before noon. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 63. 

5) School Watch: 

Here are items listed on the School District calendar:

• 02:30PM METCO - HOMEWORK CLUB
• 02:45PM SENIOR CENTER COMPUTER CLASS
• 07:00PM TV STUDIO AUCTION

• 02:45PM WELLNESS MEETING - SCHOOL NURS
• 06:00PM GUIDANCE DEPT. - FINANCIAL AID