Police Relief Association Awards Scholarship to Swampscott High Grad

The Relief Association awarded its scholarship to a Swampscott resident headed to college at Westfield State.

  The Swampscott Police Relief Association awarded its 2012 scholarship to Matt Gambale, a Swampscott High School graduate, Class of 2012. Matt received a check for $500 from the SPRA. He will be attending Westfield State and studying criminal justice. Matt was a linebacker for the Big Blue football team and a mid-fielder on the school's boys lacrosse team. He was named to the NEC South all-star lacrosse team and the division's Offensive Player of the Year.

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Blue Ice U12 Softball Team Thrives With Help From Assistant Coach

Assistant Coach Abby Caggiano is beginning her college career in the Sunshine State,

  Information for this article and the photo was submitted by Mary Ellen Fletcher. The Blue Ice U12 team finished its season in first place and undefeated.  That makes it two seasons in a row that the team has accomplished these feats. Abby Caggiano has been the team's volunteer coach during the two seasons. This past June she graduated from Saint Mary's High School, and she is now heading to the University of Tampa to begin her college career.  Abby, who lives in Nahant, was a Swampscott Little League All-Star, St. Mary's varsity player and selected to the Agganis Games.  Over the last two summers, Abby volunteered as the assistant coach to the then U10 Blue Ice team and this year to the U12 Blue Ice team.  According to head coach Julie …

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Swampscott Stories

What's the Best Precinct in Swampscott?

Tell us why in the comments section at the bottom.

  We'd like to know what you think is the best precinct in town and why? We know this question focuses on differences more than similarities, but we still want to know what you like most about your precinct. Have you got neighbors who can't be beat? The best views? The best pizza place? Originally, we were going to ask what's the best neighborhood in Swampscott, but one of our users pointed out that some neighborhoods are very large — such as The Counties — and some have a lot in common with nearby neighborhoods. Anyhow, this being the political season, we went with precincts. Wonder what precinct you live in? Check the list below, courtesy of the Town Clerk's Office.  

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What's The Score?

Poll: Do You Like the Historic Grasshopper's Location?

The town's well traveled grasshopper has landed inside the entrance to Town Hall. Let us know what you think in the comments section.

  Yesterday, we spent 10 minutes asking people who happened by or near the town grasshopper what they thought of its new location at Town Hall. The well traveled insect is a historic Swampscott weathervane on display just inside the Town Hall entrance and above the water fountains. It's made of copper and is patina covered and sits in a nice glass case made by local craftsman Howard Vatcher and was hung by town building inspector Rich Baldacci. Town Historian Lou Gallo suggested the location — in a recessed section of wall, in a place where many people might see it, and not far from its original home. The weathervane originally belonged to Elihu Thomson, the famous inventor. It was mounted on his carriage house. Later, the carriage house …

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Elise Scanlan

5:57 pm on Thursday, August 16, 2012

I was fortunate enough to witness the process of Howard building the new home for the grasshopper. Before he mounted it I got a great picture of the hopper resting in Howard and Teresa's yard. Check out the photos above.   more ›

Swampscott Stories

Slice of Life Photos: A Seal on the Beach and Man in the Sky

Here are some slice of life photos submitted by resident Jess Massanari.

  Here are a few slices of life from recent days on and above Phillips Beach. Jessica Massanari and Joel Sapp captured these images. The seal photos come from the morning of Monday, April 9, on Phillips Beach. The flying man comes from this past Monday, April 16, around midday. The flying man took off from Phillips Park where 40 or so people gathered to watch. The pair of photos present exciting looks at a man-made marvel and a natural marvel. Thanks for sharing the photos Jessica and Joel.

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Middle School Student Sprouts a Business

Mason Sagan has been excited about business since he was 2 or 3 years old.

Mason means business. Seated at a table at the back of Panera Bread, the 13-year-old has his products — packets of plantable note cards —  aligned neatly on a table. Before him is a notebook on which he has written talking points.   Planning, product development, sales, customer service and donating a percentage of profits to charities may not be the exact categories that he has assigned to his plan for growing his business, Cards by Mason, but he has them in mind. What is most impressive is Mason's pitch-less sales manner. No Billy Mays high heat here. But the legendary Oxy-Clean man Billy Mays would probably have been proud. It's a complete business plan, developed with help from family friend CarolAnn Price. Mason is quite coachable, …

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Swampscott Stories

Hadley Swings Into the Season

Swampscott High students including some Hadley alumni sang for the elementary school recently.

This article was submitted by Hadley School Principal Sandra Rivers. Jim Pearse and members of the Swampscott High School chorale helped Hadley staff and students swing into the holiday season with their rendition of Duke Ellington's "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" and other tunes. As some of the former Hadley students — now members of the chorale — walked into the Hadley gym they commented: "Wow! I thought this gym was much bigger!" It does mean a thing when your perspective changes!

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Question: Where Was the Palmer School?

Along Humphrey Street across from what later became Temple Israel.

Welcome to You Ask, Patch Answers, a column in which you ask us a question about anything going on in town and we do our best to find an answer. Got a question you'd like to see Patch answer? E-mail it to: terry.date@patch.com A reader asked us where the Palmer School was located. We had featured the Palmer, a photogrpah of a classroom, in our last Then and Now contest. We turned to local historian Lou Gallo for information on the school. Lou said it was located across the street, on a diagonal, from the Palmer Estate home. Later, the Temple Israel was built on the Palmer property. Lou said that the author of the Swampscott history book Era of the Summer Estates, Dorothy Anderson, had talked about school children marching in a parade from …

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Hidden Holiday Gem: Savorii is About Savoring Local Resources

Pat Gorham's company makes use of people and discarded materials — creating products with soul.

  The Swampscott company Savorii stitches the overlooked to the under-appreciated to create usefulness — even hope. It draws on ideas and people found nearby, people who breathe life into repurposed materials including leather, canvas and burlap. In the end, Savorii makes practical and stylish products including waterproof hats and leather satchels, cases, covers and bags. It creates fashion and jewelry and art. Savorii is the brainchild of Swampscott High teacher and resident Pat Gorham. You won’t find a physical store called Savorii but the company’s products are available online and in two area shops. Gorham designs prototypes in her Swampscott basement, which, for her, is a natural place to design and create. She grew up tinkering with…

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