REMINDER

Kayaking Club

The group will be planning trips on Wednesday mornings to a variety of local waterways.  The training sessions are scheduled for Wednesday, April 2nd at the Community Hall at 135 Main St and April 9th at the Town Hall.  Both classes are from 6:00-8:30 PM. Find additional details and registration information in our Spring-Summer Brochure on our website, www.northwoodnh.org. Call the Recreation Department at 942-5586 x209 with questions.

Letter To The Editor

iPork?

In 2013 the Northwood School Board proposed a warrant article costing $95,000 for iPads at Northwood Elementary School.  The voters rejected this proposal.  The disappointed school board then decided to embed a similar technology item in the nearly $12 million 2014 school district budget, thereby effectively eliminating debate.

Well, that’s one way to overcome disappointment.  Another way could be to resubmit the proposal as a separate warrant article and defend and explain it at the deliberative session. The problem with that approach, however, is that it would open the question to discussion and would require persuading the Northwood citizenry, always a chancy endeavor.

I suppose it might have been much safer to bury the request where it couldn’t be removed, in a budget containing countless items. When Congress does this, isn’t it called pork barrel legislation?

The fact is there’s much to debate about giving school kids devices like iPads.  For example, The Atlantic reports, “Almost immediately after receiving their new school-issued iPads this fall, students in Indiana and in California managed to bypass the security on the devices, ‘hacking’ them for ‘non-schoolwork’ purposes: listening to music, checking Facebook, surfing the web.”

“There’s very little evidence that kids learn more, faster, or better by using these machines,” said Larry Cuban, education professor emeritus at Stanford.

Professor Diane Ravitch, a strong supporter of public schools, served Presidents Bush and Clinton in the field of education.  She discusses many problems associated with iPads in the schools in her blog post “LA iPad Fiasco Gets Worse.” The problems include escalating costs, lack of curriculum planning, and the fact that the iPads will be obsolete in 3-4 years. She calls the program a “huge cash cow.”

Next time maybe as a community we can talk about the pros and cons first.

Michael Faiella

Northwood

Letter To The Editor

As all of you know, summer is fast approaching. As summer slowly creeps its way to us, so does graduation for the 2014 CBNA seniors. Now for the few people that may not know this, Coe-Brown requires all of its students to individually complete a unique senior project.

I’ve heard all my friend’s ideas, everything from; fixing engines and building coat racks, to striping, sanding and painting coffee tables. With a diploma and the sweet feeling of freedom on the line, all seniors that have been putting off their projects are now in a frantic scramble to complete them.

I, Keyonta’ Wallace, am one of them. As you now know, I am a senior at Coe-Brown and it has been quite the bumpy ride for me the past four years, but that’s a story for a different day. The reason for this letter is, of course, my senior project.

For my project I am making a book. How said book will turn out is still a mystery to all, including myself.

Now, I have never really been a huge fan of reading… but a different type of writing has somehow eased its way into my life, and that is poetry.

Now this is where you come in. Although I do have poems that I had written myself, I have many more pages to fill, after a recent conversation with an old friend. The idea of opening the pages of my book up to the community and accepting poems from the public was thrown on the table.

So, if you have, or know anyone who has written something they would possibly like to have published, please Email me at [email protected]. (Northwood residents only) Please enter “poetry book” as the subject of the email.

Thank You,

Keyonta’

Susan C. (Hosmer) Holden

Susan C. (Hosmer) Holden, 57, of Northwood, died March 26, 2014 at the Concord VNA Hospice Center after a courageous battle with cancer.

She was born in Manchester on December 17, 1956 to the late Roland and Dolores Hosmer.

Susan graduated from Goffstown High School in 1974, where she met her husband Robert.  They were married in 1976 and moved to Northwood where they took up residence on Northwood Lake.

Susan worked at St. Anselm’s College until 2007 where she assisted students in planning and executing their career paths.  In 2010 Susan became Northwood’s Human Services Director, extending compassion and a helping hand to those less fortunate, and becoming one of their most fervent advocates. 

She volunteered countless hours with the Northwood Food Pantry and joined with friends at the library book club and the Northwood Women’s Club.

Susan also loved the ocean and was particularly happy traveling in her sports car on nice days.  Her grandchildren were the center of her life and she relished the brief time that she had with them.

She was passionate about her work and touched the lives of many people in and around Northwood.  Her infectious smile and gentle demeanor will be sorely missed. 

She is survived by her husband of 38 years, Robert W. Holden, a son Christopher Holden, her mother Dolores, and grandchildren Bronti, Dutch and Berkley Holden, as well as her beloved Scotties Dallas and McGregor.

She also leaves a sister, Becky (Hosmer) Evans and her husband Ron of Goffstown, and her brother William and his wife Lauren Hosmer of Vermont, along with several nieces and nephews.

A mass of Christian burial was celebrated at St. Anselm Abbey, 100 St. Anselm Drive in Goffstown.  Interment will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery.  Arrangements were handled by French and Rising Funeral Home of Goffstown, to sign the online guest book go to www.frenchandrising.com.