In a day and age where we live a hectic pace and things seem to be getting increasingly more expensive, any chance to save time and a bit of cash is always welcomed. One of those unavoidable expenses and one that can consume large amounts of time is an absolute necessity: eating.

There are almost as many ways to approach eating as there are people. Most of us use a differing ratio of take-out and home cooking. Of course, home cooking depends on grocery shopping and grocery shopping can take a significant amount of time.

Often, the price difference between take-out and grocery shopping is minimal and many people would rather take all the extra time to play catch up on other things or simply spend with the family at the table. It’s a balancing act that is common to the American household. Everyone has tips, tricks and ways to save a buck.

The problem is that often, saving some time and/or a buck comes at the expense of a nutritionally balanced meal. This is a decision many of us have to struggle with. How can we save money, save time, spend more time with family and other important aspects of life, yet eat in a balanced way? It seems that it has to be one or the other in many cases.

It is because of this “pickle” that you have likely heard of meal preparation services. If you haven’t yet, you will soon enough. They are becoming increasingly more popular.

Inspiration for Healthy Bites

Growing up, my mother would often spend all day Sunday preparing a variety of meals for the week. Many would get placed in Tupperware containers and tossed into the refrigerator. Others would get wrapped and placed in the freezer. Then, when dinner time approached, she would pull out the prepared ingredients, and either thaw or pull them out of the refrigerator and put in a plan and heat.

These meal preparation services have grown out of this concept and the need to save significant amounts of time. One place is not only saving families a ton of time, but doing it in an affordable way is Healthy Bites Meal Prep at 804 Belleville Avenue. Above all, and perhaps most importantly, they are creating healthy, nutritionally balanced meals.

It seems that each meal preparation service has a niche or two that they focus on. Owners Crystal and Jeff Lister live an active lifestyle and wanted their menu offerings to reflect that. The inspiration for the entire enterprise came from Crystal’s own weight loss story: she was sick and tired of being overweight and decided to do something about it.

She didn’t turn to an exercise fad or the latest and coolest diet, but used a very common-sensical approach to nutrition and portions. She took up an exercise program, but it simply wasn’t doing enough, fast enough, and wasn’t producing the results she was looking for. Jeff and Crystal are fond of saying “You can’t out exercise a bad diet.” She began to re-address her meal choices and she began to lose a drastic amount of weight: well over 40lbs of it.

The change was dramatic enough that all her friends and family took note and began to ask questions. When she began to describe the meals that she was eating and started to show pictures of these meals, people became very interested and wanted to know if she could share the recipes or even make some for them to try.

The overwhelming response was that they couldn’t believe that food that tasted that delicious was not only healthy, but would help lead to weight loss. It is in this exchange that she found her passion, inspiration and motivation to start up Healthy Bites with the help of her husband and business partner, Jeff and they opened their doors in August of 2015.

Here was a way that she could help others achieve the same physical transformation and well-being, particularly those who didn’t know where to start. Seeing their friends and family have similar and even better results is constant motivational fuel, a perpetually rewarding experience, and validation for what they are doing.

Mouth-watering dishes and a variety of choices

Now, if you are thinking Wheat Grass shakes, chicken feed, bird seeds, or some other bland food that typically is thought of when thinking “healthy,” you’d be wrong. These are restaurant quality meals from people who grew up cooking, graduated from the New Bedford Voke-Tech culinary program, and are both in the process of finishing up thier personal trainer and nutritionist license. That’s passion.

Since Healthy Bites is about an active lifestyle, if you are not trying to lose weight, but actually gain it because you are bodybuilding, powerlifting or weightlifting, then you can also benefit from what Healthy Bites offers. The three plans offered are light, regular and bulk-up. Light for those trying to lose weight, regular for those simply living a healthy lifestyle, and bulk-up for those doing the heavy lifting.

Their cooking knowledge is deep, so the menu changes weekly insuring that you are excited for what each week holds. Here is an example from Monday’s offering: Lunch: Lime Cilnatro Chicken Skewers-All-white meat chicken breast, onions, peppers, and pineapples paired with zucchini chips. Dinner: Teriyaki Steak Tips-Grilled steak tips tossed in my homeade teriyaki sauce paired with white rice and roasted carrots. Snack: Blueberry Honey Bar, Fresh Fruit Cup.

Through the rest of the week you’ll find items like Turkey Sliders /w Mango and Pineapple Salsa, Cheddar & Apple Stuffed Chicken, Apple Oat Muffins, Creole Style Salmon, Turkey Kielbasa Quesadilla, Lemon Coconut Granola bars. Often creative, always perfectly seasoned, never prepared in unhealthy oils and greases, but baked, grilled or roasted.

Nothing can do Healthy Bites more justice than checking the weekly menu, seeing the mouth-watering photos in this spotlight, and/or visiting their Facebook page. Better yet, try a day or week and find out first hand, just like I did.

How does the meal preparation work?
You check the menu the week before ordering. Meals are lunch, dinner and a snack and are ordered by the week, which is Monday through Friday. Saturdays are optional and an extra fee, you may swap out any meal with grilled chicken w/ whole rice and steamed broccoli. Breakfast can be added for $4 per day.

The portion size is determined by those aforementioned goals and whether you are trying to lose weight, just eat healthy, or trying to bulk-up. Determine your meals with any options for the week, place your order, then pick up on the designated days – Wednesdays or Sundays between 3-6:00pm or have them delivered.

One week’s worth of meals take care of. No stress, no planning, affordable, balanced, healthy!

Whether you are trying to lose weight, don’t have time to prepare meals, just living that healthy lifestyle or trying to bulk up, you will find value in what Jeff and Crystal are offering. It’s affordable, mouth-watering, restaurant quality food that saves you tons of money and time so you can focus on what matters: living life and spending more time with friends and family.

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Healthy Bites Meal Prep

804 Belleville Avenue
New Bedford, Massachusetts

Phone: (774) 305-4172
Website: healthybitesmealprep.com/
Facebook: facebook.com/healthybitesmealprep
Instagram: instagram.com/healthybitesmealprep/

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Recently, the Wampanoag Indians have been in the headlines because of casino projects in Massachusetts. This has drummed up some interest in these First Peoples – who are they? How many are left and living in the state? Where do they live? Do they have their own towns or are they spread out?

Since I was a child I was also interested in Anthropology and History, and Amerindians always fascinated me. They had a mystery about them that captivated my attention and interest. I devoured book after book, watched every documentary I could. This was an era before the information age, so I got most of my information from the local libraries and school teachers.

With the advent of the information age, I had to no longer rely on the one sided versions written by Europeans and Americans in the history books, but could read about Amerindians by and from Amerindians – getting two sides of the “story” and bringing things more to the center.

Currently the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe –known as the “People of the First Light”– have been in talks with developers and investors about building a proposed gaming and entertainment venue on their tribal owned lands in Taunton. So, I thought it fitting to narrow down, what is a massive topic, to one specific tribe.

From Wampanoag Nation of 69 Tribes to Two Federally Recognized Tribes and 3 Bands
Many Wampanoag names are familiar to even those with a minimal knowledge of local history, Metacom[et] or King Phillip, Wamsutta, Squanto, Massasoit, the first man to be killed in the Revolutionary War, Crispus Attucks, are a few.

The Wampanoags, also called the Massasoit, were spread throughout southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island at the time of the arrival of the first Europeans in the 16th century and best estimates placed the Wampanoag Nation or Confederacy at 69 tribes consisting of approximately 65,000 people.

Between skirmishes with settlers, actual war, Yellow Fever and other diseases, the Nation began to suffer tremendous losses. Sadly, by the early 17th century they were said to number about 6,000 strong, but by the advent of King Phillip’s War in the late 1670s, there were barely 400 remaining. Fortunately, they began to bounce back and by a 2010 census there were counted 2,756. Many live near the Watuppa Wampanoag Reservation in Aquinnah (Gay Head) on Martha’s Vineyard.

While only the Aquinnah and Mashpee tribes are federally recognized, there are three “bands” that are recognized by the state: the Nemasket Band, the Pocassets, and an old praying town, the Herring Pond tribe. The Pocassets are formally recognized, but not federally.

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe formed in 1660
The Mashpees, were neutral throughout King Phillip’s war, so were spared the extreme losses from violence. Many were forced to settle into Praying Towns throughout Barnstable County with the Nauset tribes, or with the Sekkonets in Rhode Island.

In 1660, colonists set aside 50 square miles in Mashpee, for the Wampanoags and that is how this particular tribe got its name. Within 5 years they were self-governing utilizing an English-style court of law and trials.

In 1763, the British Crown still had a grip on the nation and if colonists were not happy with the way they were being treated, one can only imagine how the Amerindians were mistreated. Disregarding the presence of the Wampanoags and that the Mashpee area was a reservation, the British Crown went ahead and designated Mashpee as a plantation and one within the Mashpee District, and thus, subjects of the crown and laws. This placed them at the whim of colonial settlers who would subsequently encroach on the land set aside for the Wampanoags.

This would have an adverse affect on their population in Mashpee – their numbers would dwindle as they would rather strike out on their own than live under such conditions – treated worse than second class citizens.

Things wouldn’t improve when the Americans won the Revolutionary war and took over. Adding insult to injury, the new government decided to revoke the tribe’s self-governance and place a committee made up of five Europeans. The tribe’s peaceful protest was met with the threat of military action.

By the 1830s the State Government had hoped that the Mashpee Wampanoag “problem” would go away through assimilation with the European locals. When that didn’t happen, or happen fast enough, over the course of the next decade, the state started taking the Mashpee’s land and parceling out 60 acres at a time to European farmers who were already gaming and fishing on the rich Indian lands, as well as harvesting trees.

Settlers and farmers would continue to drain the reservation’s resources and encroach on the land where the Wamponoags lived. They would deforest, trap, hunt, and even plant on land that they didn’t own. Three decades later, the state would deal a major blow to the tribe by incorporating Mashpee as a town, in 1870. This took all control and governance away from the Mashpees.

Mashpee Wampanoag from 1924 through today
In spite of centuries of poor treatment and disrespect, many Wampanoags did remain and retained as much as their customs and ways of life as possible. Since 1924 they have had an annual Powwow in July; a gathering where there is eating, dancing, singing, music, and socializing among tribe members defined by any person who has lineage, is actively involved in the community and lives within 20 miles of Mashpee.

In 1972, the tribe would establish a Council and designate Russell “Fast Turtle” Peters as its first president. This council was the first step in legitimizing the tribe in the eyes of the U.S. Government and begin the process of being federally recognized and begin to lay claim to the land that had been theirs for centuries.

In 1974, the Council would stand before the Bureau of Indian Affairs and apply to have the claim approved and the tribe recognized. They were denied, yet again. Showing their characteristic tenacity, doggedness, and patience they stuck together and continued to fight. Later that same year they decided to take serious action and tried to sue the town of Mashpee.

As would be expected, all claims by the Mashpee were denied by the state and they lost the case. They would then spend the next 30 years, never giving up and fighting for what they felt was rightfully theirs. The persistence paid off and the tribe was officially recognized by the federal government in 2007 while under the direction of chairman and controversial figure, Glenn Marshall.

When Marshall was arrested for a variety of crimes, he was replaced by council vice-chair Shawn Hendricks – a man who actively pursued gaming-related interests. In 2009, the tribe elected Cedric Cromwell to be council chair and president who continued to push the tribe into a gaming related direction. He is the Gaming Authority President today.

Originally the tribe wished to build a casino on land that they had purchased in Middleborough, but for reasons I couldn’t uncover, they moved their plans to Taunton in spite of the fact that the Pocasset Wampanoags challenged their territorial rights there.

First Light Resort & Casino
Financing for the casino comes from the Malaysian Genting Group and support came and comes from such high profile figures like Senator John Kerry, past Governor Deval Patrick, and former Congressman Bill Delahunt. In 2011, a law was passed by the Massachusetts legislature which allowed for three gaming resort sites within the state and one more location for a slots-based site.

It would be redundant to cover what happened here in New Bedford as a proposed site, since it was so recent in memory. On Tuesday, April 3rd, ground was broken on the 151 acre industrial park in Taunton and the $1 billion dollar Las Vegas style casino, hotel, entertainment complex, came one step closer to becoming a reality.

The First Light Resort & Casino is expected to open its doors in phases, with the first phase expected some time in 2017. This phase will encompass 150,000 sq.ft. 3,000 slots, 150 table games, and 40 poker tables. A food court containing 7-10 restaurants, including an international buffet, and a central bar will also be included along with just shy of a dozen retail outlets. A parking garage with approximately 3,000 spots and a lot with 2,000 spots will support this phase.

The 12 story 300 room, high-end hotel, more restaurants and gaming, spa, pool, roof terrace, and event rooms are planned for Phase 2 which is expected to take 2-2 1/2 years to complete. A more modest 300 room hotel and massive 24 hour cafe restaurant will complete Phase 3, taking 3-5 years. The final phase will include a 24,000 seat event arena, 25,000 sq.f.t indoor/outdoor water park with a 300 room hotel and more parking and expected to take at least 5 years.

The entire project is expected to create almost 1,000 well paying, union jobs for the state generating approximately $80 million dollars in salaries and $120 million in economic impact. Once up and running it will continue to generate tax revenue for the town and state, create jobs, and stimulate the region.

Ironic considering how much has been taken from the Wampanoag Indian’ through the centuries.

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If you would like to find out more about the Mashpee Wampanoag or the First Light Resort & Casino project, including its environmental and economic impact, visit these sites:

Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Website: mashpeewampanoagtribe.com
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Facebook: facebook.com/mwtribe/

In a previous “Who Remembers…?” we discussed Burger Chef. A number of people had mentioned another burger joint Howdy Beef n’ Burger. Having grown right here and not recalling Howdy Beef n’ Burger, I knew it was before my time. There are a LOT of “Who Remembers…?” that I would like to do – in fact, a number that would already have been done – however, the lack of images prevents that.

Howdy Beef ‘n Burger was a chain with at least 27 locations making it easier to come across photographs and anecdotes – enough to put something together.

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The Howdy Beef ‘n Burger chain was started by the same fellow that also founded Dunkin’ Donuts, William Rosenberg. The chain centralized in Boston and spread outward over the course of a few years and was inspired by the children’s television show that ran from 1947-1960.

“Howdy’s” was supposed to be a Dunkin’ Donuts segue into focusing on and serving food. In fact, many of the first few Howdy’s, like the one in Concord, NH that opened in 1965 and owned by Sam Silverstein, were “combination” Dunkin Donuts and Howdy Beef ‘n Burgers and not stand-alone shops. While these were separate storefronts, they shared the same parking lots and were right alongside one another.

The idea was that customers could stop in for coffee and “a” doughnut or muffin in the morning, and return later for lunch or supper. These first franchises were said to be very profitable. Silverstein said of his Concord shop that the Howdy’s brought it more revenue than his Dunkin’ Donut’s location by a long shot.

As far as the South Coast goes, the Fall River location was on President Avenue and the business mogul, Michael Panagakos, owned two of them in New Bedford. One of which was situated downtown on Purchase Street.

I do remember the McDonald’s that replaced it, but not the Howdy’s. Based off of memory from when I was a child, I believe the Howdy’s Beef ‘n Burger/McDonalds was next door to where the Bamboo Garden was. I couldn’t find any solid information where the second one was (near the car wash), but came across one anecdote that mentioned it was at the bottom of Rockdale Avenue.

I know that someone out there will recall both and I hope you clarify.

What I’ve come across in terms of anecdotes are many. What’s remembered fondly? “Howdy, may I help you?” Clipping coupons to get four burgers for one buck or occasional sales where you could get twelve burgers for a dollar. A New England menu with seafood, including haddock or shrimp dinners, fish sandwiches, clam strips, and Snow’s clam chowder.

The Big “B” was their version of the Big Mac or Whopper – speaking of which I came across the mention of a sandwich called the “Whooper.” There was a popular roast beef sandwich and a fried chicken with French fries plate. A soda or order of French fries were 20 cents. Rumors are that you could, of course, order Dunkin’ Donuts coffee. While they didn’t have anything similar to a Happy Meal, with every order a child got a Howdy Doody button.

The jingle was as follows:

“Howdy Beefburger Drive-ins Serve up tasty treats
Beefburgers made with just the finest meats
Howdy Beefburger Drive-Ins, Drive right up and get
Speedy Speedy Speedy Service and the best Beefburgers yet.”

Do you remember Howdy’s Beef ‘N Burgers? Have pictures or anecdotes? Please comment and share!

If you are the type of person that has defined your purpose and begun a business venture, you are always driving to push your business to the next level. You devised a plan; you obtained schooling, got the necessary licenses, permits or certificates; you’ve bled, sweated and cried.

Striking out on your own means that you are placing all your proverbial eggs in one basket. Whether you thrive or dive, whether you have a savings or none, whether you eat or not, depends solely on one person and not on “higher ups.” It’s exciting and frightening at the same time.

However, as the maxim states “The bigger the risk, the bigger the reward.” One of the greatest feelings one can experience in life is the sweet success of a booming small business. For that type of success to happen, a lot of specific things need to happen and one inch in a different direction can make all the difference in the world. One must hedge all bets.

Navigating that path to success all by one’s lonesome is a surefire way to insure that you are stressed, taking the long, slow road, and charging toward failure. “Learn as you go” as a primary or sole method to drive your business is incredibly inefficient and risky. Why learn from your failures when you can learn from other people’s failures and more importantly learn from their successes and implement those straight away.

Napoleon Hill, the author of the 1928 tome “The Law Of Success,” codified the business practices that all successful business owners practiced. Hill rubbed shoulders with some business giants you may have heard of: Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, and Alexander Graham Bell among others. The book had been endorsed by not only these people, but William H. Taft, Theodore Roosevelt, F.W. Woolworth, Charles Schwab, John D. Rockefeller and many more. Since the book was written it has been republished multiple times and served as an invaluable resources for countless business owners.

The very first “law” of success is to have a definite purpose. As a business owner you’ve already declared that. The second “law” of success is to have what Hill calls a Mastermind Alliance which “…involves two or more people who work in perfect harmony for the attainment of a definite purpose.” In today’s parlance, it’s called “networking.” Not a new concept at all!

Why Hill felt this was so important was that through this alliance you could accomplish in one year’s time what would take you many years, even a lifetime. By having mentors and peers walking the same footsteps to business success as you are, you could dramatically cut that time to success and seriously limit the amount of errors that could lead to business failure. By bringing to bear other people’s experiences, knowledge, ideas, concepts and advice, you were hedging those aforementioned “bets.”

With this in mind, how can we implement this important law? Is there a mastermind alliance in the area? There sure is! The Summit Referral Group, Inc. at 427 County Street, New Bedford meets weekly to further spur their businesses on using best practices and shared experiences.

Begun in the summer of 2005, founding members Susan Whitehead (Realtor from Silva Realty Group) and George Whitley Miller at Gray’s Grist Mill) originally wanted to form a chapter of the world’s largest referral group, Business Networking International. However, they felt that the rules were too rigid and the focus was on “numbers,” so the idea was abandoned. Although they are less formal than BNI they are all professional, dedicated business people.

“I was invited to BNI and decided to join Summit because of the members who were already in it. When I visited, I liked their personality & friendly yet business like approach, I appreciated the structure of the group and the fact the it had less rigid format than BNI & it was a more reasonable membership fee.”

In its place was something more flexible in terms of membership and more efficient and practical in terms of results. Instead of having a head honcho enforcing guidelines, it’s a bonafide group that acts as a democracy. While interviewing four of the members separately it was made clear from the get-go that no one wanted to declare a principal. Four separate people individually wanted to emphasize that no one was the head and that everyone in the group is an equal.

This principle and the idea of a business alliance has worked so successfully that since 2005 virtually all the members that have signed up, are still there.

So, how exactly does the summit referral group work? What happens at a typical meeting? How can membership benefit you and your small business? You not only have available all the experience and knowledge of the diverse group’s members, but you immediately have access to the entire network. Looking to connect with a realtor, or a plumber, or a bank manager, or a hair stylist because the nature of one of those would benefit your particular business? Maybe you’re an electrician that could benefit from rubbing shoulders with a carpenter or a financial planner that would equally benefit from networking with a bank manager.

Think of how rapidly that could affect your bottom line and business growth pretty much immediately. One member stated that the group was “…my own sales-force” and another stated that it was “…great to have the Summit as my ‘advisory board.’ We have a great group of minds that help and advise on marketing and business decisions.”

How much impact can this group have? Nothing speaks louder than actual numbers and the group keeps stringent ones: last year they shared $140,000 in business transactions. This is business directly attributed to involvement with the group.

How the Summit Referral Group is superior to a BNI chapter, is that there are two memberships available: regular membership and an associate membership. A typical membership requires weekly attendance — each Thursday morning from 7:30am-8:30am. The associate membership is for those that can’t commit to this specific schedule and only requires that once per month or attendance to twelve meetings a year. Also, perfect for those seasonal businesses, e.g. carpenters, landscapers, electricians, plumbers, etc.

It is this latter category that the group is looking is looking to expand upon. So, if you own a trade business, you will fit perfectly. Incidentally, only one small business per category is allowed. So, you get exclusive attention. That means that if you are roofer, you will be the only roofer. There are a lot of benefits to this kind of exclusivity, but it also highlights how important it is to become a member as soon as possible if you there is an available slot.

Current members in each category are names that are likely to be familiar to you: President Peter Covill of Peter Covill, Humphrey, Covill & Coleman Insurance, Treasurer, Michele M. Hurd from Ed Sylvia Certified Public Accountant, Silva Realty Group, Susan Whitehead, Residential Realtor, Mike Sylvia of New Bedford Guide (that’s us!), Hope Hallett of Capital Freeding Funding, Susan Grace of EncorEntertainment, Rica DeMoranville of First Citizens’ Federal Credit Union, Joshua Pacheco of Axis Advisors, Jenessa Gerard-Pateakos and Danielle Poulin of Pateakos & Poulin Attorneys at Law, Phyllis Stergiotis of Viridian Energy, Elizabeth Matos-Araujo of Sage Bank, Dan Jameson of Paychex, Jen Ferreira of SouthBeach Hair Salon and Tanning, and Tammy Greenspan of Pink Box Desserts. There are simply too many to list them all!

Interested in gaining the benefits of being an exclusive member of the Summit Referral Group? Currently the group has seats open for the following business categories:

Alarm Systems, Antique Dealer, Appraiser, Artist, Bakery, Bookkeeping, Carpet/Flooring, Caterer, Chiropractor, Cleaning Service, Computer Service, Electrician, Fitness Center, Florist, General Contractor, Graphic Designer, Holistic Health Service, Jeweler, Landscaper, Limo Service, Moving & Storage, Nutritionist, Office Supplies & Equipment, Printer, Plumber, Travel Agency, Web Site Design, Winery, and Yoga/Fitness Instructor.

If you own one of these businesses and are interested, you simply email Susan Grace at sgrace@encorent.com or show up as a guest at the next Thursday meeting at 7:15am at the Wamsutta Club at 427 County Street, New Bedford. There’s no obligation, you can ask all the questions you want, meet the people and discuss their successes and see if the mixture is something that would benefit your business.

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Summit Referral Group, Inc.
427 County Street
New Bedford, Massachusetts 02740
Thu: 7:15am-8:45am

Phone: 508-993-1999
Email: sgrace@encorent.com
Facebook: facebook.com/TheSummitReferralGroup/

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The city once had a fair number of breweries and distributors. (Spinner Publication)Yum. Beer.

I can’t recall a time where there have been more breweries, microbreweries, or varieties. There is even, for the first time in history, such a thing as a beer snob.

We’ve all run into that guy – the one who asks you what your favorite beers are, and then promptly tells you why you are wrong for choosing that beer. He will then proceed to tell you what your favorite beers are based on genetic profiles of hops, obscure strains of barley, and the alignment of specific astral bodies and planets. While you sit there stunned by his obnoxiousness, he’ll finish with a “You’re welcome.”

I don’t know a heck of a lot about beers, I’m an oenophile – a fancy word for a wino. Whenever I am confronted by a beer snob, I tell them “That’s all fine and dandy, but that’s my favorite beer because I like the way it tastes. Planetary alignment be damned.” It’s the same advice I give to people who ask me about wines. Let your tongue lead the way, not fancy formulas, company backgrounds or unneeded facts. What tastes good to you? Try a bunch – it’s fun.

Anyhow, there was a much simpler time in New Bedford’s history. A time when there were only a few breweries locally, and only a small number of varieties to choose from. Since Dawson’s is the most well-known, I thought I’d highlight New Bedford’s second best-known brewery: the Smith Brothers Inc.

Smith Brother’s Brewery has quite a long history in the city. Brothers James T. and Joseph F. Smith started offering ale, whiskey, and beer in 1880 from a small storefront at 22 William Street – where Arthur Moniz’s Gallery is today. They quickly outgrew this spot and moved the entire operation to 777 Purchase Street (near Family Dollar) in the late 1890s making locals pretty darn happy. They were said to specialize and produce superior stouts, bocks, porters, and ales.

That is until World War I rolled around. On December 18, 1917, the U.S. Senate proposed an 18th Amendment which would prohibit the production, sale, transport or purchase of alcoholic beverages. Almost a year later, on November 18, 1918, U.S. Congress would pass the temporary Wartime Prohibition Act to save grain for the war effort. This would ban the sale of any alcoholic beverage that had an alcohol content greater than 2.75% – pretty much everything. It would take full effect on June 30, 1919 and next day would be known as the “Thirsty-First”.

Things would begin to get quite serious when on January 16, 1919, the 18th amendment was ratified as a part of the Constitution. By October, the government would enact the Volstead Act which would carry out the intent of this amendment, but allowed exceptions for manufacturers, specific industries, scientific research, or…ahem religious rituals. I guess, the government wouldn’t have bought that someone was a Beer-ist and practiced Beer-ism.

Sometime in this period between 1918-1920 – likely 1918, the Smith Brothers ceased operations. It isn’t clear whether they continued to manufacture beer for industrial, scientific and religious use or not. I couldn’t imagine there would be enough profits in that to keep a facility open.

Things go dark on the Smith Brothers until they are issued U-Permit No. MA-U-113 allowing the resumption of their brewing operations 1933 at 425 Coggeshall Street right next to the railroad tracks in a spot in between the JM of New Bedford Insulation and Metro Industrial & Marine Supply buildings are today.

In this first year, they had a number of labels: Smith Bros. Stout (1933-1937), Smith Bros. Light Dinner Ale (1933-1950), Smith Bros. Stock Ale (1933-1950), and Smith Bros. Pale Ale (1933-1950). In 1937 they added two more labels: Belmont Beer (1937-1943) and Elco Beer (1937-1943). Finally, three more in 1938: Smith’s Ale (1938-1942), Smith’s Bock (1938-1942), and Smith’s Porter (1938-1942).

The Smith Brothers would cruise along turning a profit until the late 1940s when things began to slow down with the advent of World War II. The specifics are uncertain, but they did survive the war but limped along until they closed their doors for good in 1950. In 1961, a fire destroyed the facility and any physical record of its existence was erased from the city.

Of course, beer trays, labels, bottles, and other memorabilia can be found on auction sites, yard sales, and Craigslist. If you are interested in buying some memorabilia and have had no luck with these, there is an excellent beer site that offers memorabilia from every beer that has existed, including the Smith Brothers. You can see that site here.

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Cyd’s Creative Kitchen at 2331 Acushnet Avenue is a popular spot for breakfast and lunch. Being right around the corner from my house, I eat there frequently and know all too well the reason for its popularity.

Americans in general and New Englanders specifically, have a love affair with diners and comfort food. You get honest, stick to your belly, delicious food in a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere for a price affordable enough to feed the family. Cyd’s is no exception to that rule, but is an exception to what else they do and offer. As the descriptor in the name of the eatery implies, they go beyond the standard diner in a creative way.

That creativity has its roots in owner and chef Cyd Ryle’s personality. It’s who she is and everything she touches. It comes out in full effect in the daily markerboard specials. You can’t contain her and her gears are always turning when it comes to offering something beyond the menu. You really never know what will be up on that markerboard.

This translates into an eatery whereby you can come for the standards that everyone loves, but if you or someone in your group has an eclectic palate or always likes to try something new, you can come with as well. There is something for everyone.

Cyd has always had a passion for cooking and found the smiles and happy faces that were the result of that passion, to be inspirational and rewarding. It seemed an organic step to bring that passion beyond her friends and family and to the community she grew up in, so she had a dream to open her own restaurant.

With that in mind, she felt she just needed to compliment that passion with some technical training so she went to Johnson & Wales and graduated in 2004. That same year she realized her dream by opening Cyd’s Creative Kitchen in October.

Since then she has offered an inventive menu with all of the diner standards we are all familiar with: Coffee, tea, home fries, eggs any way, omelettes, waffles, pancakes, salads, hamburgers, Fish and Chips, etc. Reflecting the local community there is, of course, linguica offered in many ways, cacoila sandwiches, bolos, along with French Meat pie and all the New England favorites like clam chowder, lobster rolls, and fish ‘n chips.

There are breakfast specials like the early bird, the Hungry Man’s Special: 2 Eggs (any style), 2 Pancakes, 2 Strips of Bacon, 2 Sausage Links, Home Fries ($9.99) with Coffee & Small Juice. Or the Hungry Woman’s Special: Hungry Woman’s Special: 1 Egg (any style), 1 Pancakes, 1 Strip of Bacon, 1 Sausage Link, Home Fries ($8.99) with Coffee & Small Juice or the Country Birds Nest: 2 Eggs (any style), 2 Sausage Patties, 2 Hash Brown Patties topped w/ Country Gravy ($7.99) with Coffee & Small Juice.

For lunch specials, there is one for each day, Monday through Friday. Purchase one for $6.89 and a beverage and you can choose between Chicken Pie with Choice of 2 Sides (Monday), Shepherd’s Pie with a Cup of Soup of the Day (Tuesday), Meatloaf with Choice of 2 Sides (Wednesday), American Chop Suey and a Side Salad (Thursday) or a Cup of Chowder and Fish Sandwich, served with French Fries, Cole Slaw and Tartar Sauce (Friday.)

In addition she offers a Kid’s Menu with smaller portions at even more affordable price. If you’re an adult, with a little kid inside you can go ahead and order the Smiley Faced pancake. Your secret is safe with us.

Best of all, these are all large portions that don’t sacrifice quality. Priced so that you wonder how it is that you get so much for the price and how Cyd’s makes money. Picture all the classics and standards but at a restaurant, not diner, quality. No greasy spoon here. Only the freshest ingredients, vegetables with snap, fruit and berries perfectly ripe and naturally sweet, and everything in abundance. The icing on the cake – pardon the pun – is the waitstaff. In the years I have been going there I have never had a gruff or moody waitress nor a problem with my order. Always friendly, always consistent.

If Cyd did just that she would thrive. It is enough on its own for her to prosper. However, those creative gears are always turning and she is always exploring and being inspired. So, she just couldn’t be limited to a standard menu and certainly would be stifling to her to not have a markerboard to share what she has found on her culinary journey. It is something that anyone who knows her understands.

Carrying on in that vein, she is now moving into offering dinner to her rabid fans. Here’s the rub: Cyd’s Creative Kitchen is delivering these meals once per week with a sort of “meals on wheels” style service called “Dinner To Your Door.” If you are busy, had a long day or don’t have enough time to cook dinner and want healthy, prepared meals this service is the way to go. You can even order them days ahead and freeze them to really save time, but they are best eaten when they arrive! The same affordable price, generous portions, and fresh ingredients that they put into breakfast and lunch, go into these meals. In fact, in spite of its name you can order breakfast, lunch and/or dinner. How it works is that you order a minimum of $21 worth of food and there is a $2 delivery fee.

Keeping in line with her creativity and markerboard specials, each month there is a different menu. While this may sound like a meal on wheels for the elderly, you would be mistaken to believe so. It is for people of all ages.

The inspiration for this, believe it or not, came about when she started receiving requests from residents in nearby towns in Massachusetts and subsequently other states like New Hampshire and Maine. People were putting in orders to bring to their elderly parents. If there is any better validation on what Cyd and her staff are putting out, that’s about as good as one can get.

Of course, there’s no better way than to simply stop in and see what I’m talking about, for yourself. Tell them Joe sent you!

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Cyd’s Creative Kitchen
2331 Acushnet Ave
New Bedford, MA
Mon-Sat: 6:00am-2:00pm
Sun: 6:00am-1:00pm

Phone: 508-998-6212
Email: cydscreativekitchen@comcast.net
Facebook: facebook.com/cydscreativekitchen/
Website: cydscreativekitchen.com/

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This isn’t some utility van. You would think you were in an upscale limousine!

A lot has changed since we first told you about New Bedford native Ed Pacheco’s livery service company, Places To Go. While Ed still offers that same friendly, prompt, professional and affordable service, he has grown from a few employees to a dozen full and part time staff. In addition, he grown to 8 vehicles and has relocated – still in New Bedford – to a larger office at 1 Wamsutta Street.

Who would want such a service? What exactly is a livery service? Why has Places To Go grown so fast?

Started in 2011, “Places To Go” specializes in private livery and does it in superlative fashion. Pacheco thoroughly enjoys doing what he does and has cherry picked a staff with a similar passion. Together they have taken their special brand of service and brought it to the community. The reason for their rapid growth is twofold – there is a huge demand for what they do, and they do it at a world class level.

If you are the type of person that would go out with a group of your best pals or family for a special occasion and like the idea of doing so without anyone being a designated driver allowing everyone to join in the celebration than “Places To Go” is exactly what you are looking for. Going on a business trip or vacation and don’t want disrupt a friend or family member and ask them to drop you off at T.F. Green or Providence AMTRAK? Don’t like the idea of leaving your car at the airport and make it look like no one is home at your house?

Perhaps you just want to celebrate a friend’s birthday, an anniversary or work promotion? Maybe it’s a bachelor or bachelorette party? Maybe for no reason at all – you just want a night out with good people to blow off steam.

This is where “Places To Go” factors in. They provide a safe, affordable, stress-free livery service. If you ever wanted to know specifically what ‘livery’ means, just think [de]livery. You get picked up in a caravan or van by a friendly yet professional driver who not only has an impeccable driving record, but has undergone a rigorous background check that meets Ed’s high standards. All drivers are CPR certified, have drug screenings, reference checks, and criminal and driving record checks. If they don’t meet every standard, they are simply not hired. Ed hires only the best.

It’s not just about safety and perfect driving record for Ed, but it’s also about personality. The drivers are the face of his business and he has seen first hand the direct benefits of passionate, friendly drivers does and has done for his business: a high percentage of his business comes from referrals and repeat customers.

There is no better way to drive a business’s success than to offer a service or product that people rant and rave about and tell all their friend about. Ed has made this maxim the driving force for Places To Go and this is why and how they have grown in the manner they have.

If you are in the market for livery, look no further than New Bedford’s own “Places To Go.” They service New Bedford, Dartmouth, Acushnet, Fairhaven and Providence RI. Give them a call today and see for yourself the type of response you get and how affordable it is. “Places To Go” has a <a href="http://www.placestogosouthcoast.com/vip-list/"VIP List whereby you can get notifications of deals, and even win prizes or giveaways like gift certificates, t-shirts, and more.

Want to see what other people are saying? You can see some of the comments in the customer feedback section of the website. Want to see for yourself what the vehicles look like that goes beyond pictures? You can check out the virtual tour video.

Places To Go, LLC

1 Wamsutta St, New Bedford, 02744
PO Box 87081, South Dartmouth, Massachusetts 02748
Phone: (774) 202-7756
Email: ed_pacheco@placestogosouthcoast.com

Phone Hours:
Mon – Fri: 9:00AM – 5:00PM
Sat/Sun: 9:00AM-2:00PM
Can leave voicemail
Holidays: Weekend schedule.

Office Hours
9:00am-3:00pm
ALL calls are returned within 24 hours!

Website: placestogosouthcoast.com/
Facebook: facebook.com/pages/Places-To-GoLLC/204375009636115

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Welcome to next installment in the New Bedford Streets; A Piece of Americana series. Previously we covered William Street, Kempton Street, Middle Street, Centre Street, Ashley Boulevard, Elm Street, Coggeshall Street, Mechanics Lane, Washburn Street and others. If you would like to read those or perhaps revisit them, they can be found by using the search bar to the right. You can also select the “Streets” category.

As usual, I’d like to re-iterate the importance of reader feedback, correction, and contributions. In the process of exploring these streets, I try to confirm or validate statements and dates by finding multiple sources. Unfortunately, if all those sources are making their statement based on an older, incorrect source, and there isn’t any dissenting information available, there’s no way to know otherwise. So by all means, please join in.

In addition, when trying to validate some statements, often there is very little to no information available. I haven’t decided which is worse – finding one source, or finding multiple sources, but not knowing if they were all founded on an inaccuracy. So help from local historians, those who remember, oral histories and anecdotes handed down through the generations, people with private collections, and even know-it-alls will help!

By all means, let us make this an open discussion to keep the “wiki” accurate.

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Topham Street is a two block long residential street with history that goes back to the early 19th century. What is a Topham and how does relate to the city of New Bedford? What is so important that a street would be dubbed Topham?

Etymologically speaking, the word “Topham” is a compound of “top” and “ham.” “Ham” is a diminutive of hamlet, which is defined as “…a small settlement, generally one smaller than a village.” These hamlets or hams were unincorporated dwellings on the outskirts of town – people out in the “boonies.” These communities weren’t large enough for a church, so were parts of a parish.

Topham is a hamlet on the River Went, in Skyehouse, South Yorkshire, England. Phew, that’s a lot descriptors. let’s just say that it’s a quiet little hamlet in the North of England. The reason it is called so has been lost to time, but one explanation is that it was called “Topham” because it was a hamlet that was built on the top of a “hill” to avoid flood waters from the River Went, a tributary of the River Don. The area is very flat, and the area where Topham is built, is about 16 feet above sea level, so I use the term with some liberty.

Another explanation is that it comes from Danish-Viking word ‘throp or thorpe’ which means village or farmstead and is relatively common in that part of England.

I’m not completely sure of the size of Topham “back in the day,” but today Topham has less than a dozen homes in it and it appears they are all farms.

So how did we get from Topham, a small settlement of homes in England, to Topham as a surname? Well, it’s a British “thing.” Surnames didn’t come into use until the 13th-14th century in England. Up to that time, you were known by who your father was, e.g. John son of John, your occupation, e.g. the Smith, the Tanner, etc. or by where you were from, John from York. These would eventually be shortened to John Johnson, John Tanner, or John York.

Locational surnames were especially popular for those who emigrated to the New World. Many British still recalled their home towns fondly. They didn’t necessarily leave because they disliked where they came from, but rather because of poor economic conditions, religious intolerance, or simply seeking new opportunities.

In the case of Topham, it appears the surname was chosen as a way to pay tribute Topham proper. To remember your roots and where you came from. Apparently people though highly of this little part of the word, because Topham and its myriad of mind-boggling variations can be commonly found – almost ubiquitously so. There is Toppham, Tophamn, Tophams, Tophan, Tophann, Tofahm, Tophma, Topha, Toapha, Tophain, Thopham, Tophane, Tophm, Tophans, Tophqm, Tophal, just to name a few.

When it comes to the specific variations here in Massachusetts, you’ll find Toppan, Tappan, and Topham. Trying to follow the lineage of one family is tough enough. Having variations is overwhelming and it’s prudent to narrow things down.

Things get very messy, especially when the various Tophams intermarry with the Giffords, Rogers, Shermans, Pecks (via pilgrim Joseph Peck who came aboard the Diligent in 1638), Morses (of Morse drill “fame”), Crapos, etc.

The first Topham to come to the New World was Abraham Topham, baptized on April 10, 1606 in Calbridge, England, the parish of Coverham, about 70 miles from our Topham. 30 year old Abraham arrived in Yarmouth in 1637 aboard the “Mary Anne.” He brought with him, his wife Susanna, children Peter and Elizabeth and their maidservant, 18 year old Anne Goodin. For unknown reasons this Topham, altered his surname to Toppan upon arrival.

Since the name of the street is not one of the Toppan or Tappan variants, that is what I’m sticking with. Especially since, Tappan is the word for the Lenape tribe that inhabited a region of New York at the time. End trail.

Let’s speak of solely Tophams in New Bedford so we don’t get caught in an ever expanding web of surnames and unrelated topics. The first Tophams in New Bedford are direct descendants of Mayflower pilgrims John Rogers, Thomas Rogers and John Alden.

These descendants spread out over Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Newport, Newburyport, and other parts of New England. The first one to turn up in New Bedford is Robert Carter Topham (1815-1889), born in Newport Rhode Island. His connection with the Pecks from the Mayflower are via his mother Mary Richmond Peck 1787-1822). He married Bathsheba Barton (1815-1892) on June 10, 1838.

It’s difficult to find out the exact year that he and his wife removed to 89 South Second Street, New Bedford, but by 1850 he was referred to as one of the wealthiest residents of the city. How did he build his wealth? He owned an eponymous lumber company at 2 Griffin Street that benefited greatly from the booming whaling industry. He and his wife were endeared by locals for their charitable donations and advocacy for children.

Per descendant and New Bedford resident C.P. Sherman, he also volunteered as a fireman, was a member of the fraternity the East Mason’s Lodge, was on the city’s Fireworks Board, and the Treasurer/Steward at the Fourth Street Methodist Church and Grace Church. On the topic of children, he and Bathsheba had two sons – Philip Morse Topham (1839-1897) and William B. Topham (1853-1914).

William, a lifelong resident of New Bedford, would serve as City Auditor for most of his life. Philip would serve on whaling vessels and as a mariner and in the Merchant Services until the start of the Civil War. Having a military bent he decided to enlist and saw fighting at Gettysburg as one of Abraham Lincoln’s Minute Men in the 3rd Massachusetts Regiment. He would eventually transfer to the U.S. Navy aboard the U.S.S. Calypso, before returning to New Bedford to help his father run his business, as a clerk.

So, in all likelihood Topham Street got its name from one of its wealthiest, charitable, and philanthropic citizens who was active in the community: Robert Carter Topham. Robert passed away in 1889 and was buried at the Rural Cemetery and Friends Cemetery on Dartmouth Street.

How much have you set aside for your children’s college tuition?

The Unites States of America consistently revolves in the top three slots as the costliest country on the planet when it comes to paying tuition for college education. In some cases the cost of four year’s worth of tuition can reach six figures.

According to the college board, in 2013-2014 the average total charges, including tuition and fees and room & board, at public four-year institutions, were $18,391 (in-state) and $31,701 (out-of-state), and $40,917 at private non-profit four-year institutions.

Even more alarming is the amount of outstanding student debt, estimated by some to be upwards of $1 trillion dollars. Many students are in major debt by the time they graduate and it’s not uncommon to have this debt weighing over one’s head for decades.

The stresses and concerns mount as our children get closer to high school graduation. It can be a genuine burden for the entire family.

While there are as many solutions to this problem as there are opinions, and it’s popular to point fingers, it would be more prudent and practical to be pro-active. What if there was a way to have school paid for by the time your children come of age? Or at a minimum have a substantial enough set aside so that what is being paid is not a burden for the family? One that is manageable and can realistically be paid off in a relative short period of time – months or years as opposed to decades?

With a little foresight, the right planning, and a relatively small regular investment you can have some, most or all of the cost of college education before your son or daughter heads off for higher education. Since many people find the task of researching and following markets incredibly complex and daunting, they usually resign to a savings account which gains a virtual pittance in terms of interest. The more “adventurous” will tuck it away in a CD – considering “slow and safe” to be the best bet.

Axis Advisors, LLC with offices in Westport is an independent investment advisory firm that offers a broad range of financial services from investment, retirement planning, 401k, a variety of insurance, consultation and more. They bring this experience to bear along with their considerable know-how to help you work toward your financial goals utilizing well-designed, proven strategies. Financial planner Joshua Pacheco, is one local who exemplifies these ideals and is eager to assist families in successfully planning the future education of their children – or any aspect of financial planning for that matter.

One of Joshua’s (and all the advisors and planners at Axis Advisors, LLC) particular area of expertise is helping parents who have made the decision that their children don’t have a massive financial burden of having to fund their college education all by themselves. It’s a great opportunity for those with the foresight and desire to alleviate this burden to allow their children to focus on scholastic performance and graduating rather than juggling a full-time job, study and school. Imagine the odds of success for your child if they know that they are entering their college years with their tuition paid in part or in full.

While ideally one would want to begin this investment when their son or daughter is born will improve the possibilities to accumulate assets to fund higher educations costs. So it’s never too late to begin to save. Once you factor in loans, state and federal grants it is still possible to have little to no college tuition when your son or daughter reaches the point in life that they are ready to tackle the university life.

To get an idea of how much your child’s education will cost, Axis Advisors, LLC can assist you in calculating these costs. Stop in to discuss your options with the friendly and helpful staff, obligation free.

Axis Advisors, LLC

909 State Road Unit E
Westport, MA 02790
Phone: (508) 444.0581
E-mail: josh@axisadvisorsgroup.com
Facebook: facebook.com/pachecoinvest
Website: massadvisor.com/

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Here is another installment in our Who Remembers? series. You can browse previous articles by using the search bar on the right or by clicking here. These articles are strolls down memory lane. In some cases the buildings, but new businesses have replaced them. In other instances, the buildings or even the properties have been razed. Instead of a building, it may be a TV show, personality, or commercial that no one longer exists. Either way, it can’t stop us from taking the Memory Lane stroll!

As always we would rather this be a discussion. No one knows this area better than those who grew up here! Please, leave constructive criticism, feedback, and corrections. We’d love to hear your anecdotes. Please share!

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I was born in 1970 so went to junior high school in the early 80s and high school in the mid to late 1980s. These memories may be universal – made or done through the decades and not necessarily specific to one ten year block. I’m actually curious to know, so if you went to high school in a different decade, please let us know which of these you recall.

01. Paper Fortune Teller

First created from a 1928 Origami book, the fortune teller was an elaborately folded paper device that you would manipulate with your fingers. Wikipedia states that they were also called a “…cootie catcher, chatterbox, salt cellar, or whirlybird.”

There were eight wedges that would be colored or numbered and each would have an answer or a message. The player would be asked what it was that they wanted an answer to. There were various formulas or cycles that the manipulator would utilize to come to the answer. Sometimes it would as simple as asking for a number and a color. Other times, the number of letters in the color, would determine the number of times that the manipulator would cycle through the flaps.

Girls would as if certain boys liked them, or vice versa. You could ask if you were going to get caught and grounded, if you were going to get a good grade, or whether some good luck was coming your way. It’s amazing how much time could spent, and how much fun could be had, with such a simple device.

Want to make one and wax nostalgic? Maybe make an adult version? Here is a page with easy to follow instructions and pictures.

02. Bobby Pin Snapper

The bobby pin snapper, sometimes called a “bee stinger,” was the bane of girls throughout junior high school and high school. Every boy thought the way to a girl’s heart was to pick on her. So, if picking on her was how you “told” her that you liked her, causing her pain with a bobby pin snapper surely would send home the message.

In spite of the fact that it never worked, boys continued to believe in it. Many, red faced from being smacked or embarrassed, boys. The “smarter” boys would pick up on the failure of the device, so turn on one another in a free-for-all bobby pin snapper fight. Perhaps, in an attempt to show some machismo that would impress the girls.

Which, of course, also failed. So, we tried other things like pinching, throwing gum in hair, and physical stunts that usually led to injuring ourselves. All the while, simply carrying books or passing notes would have been sufficient. Pass that one along to any teen boys you know.

Want to make one and torture someone? <a href="http://www.rotteneggs.com/site/stories/611f5b20-9c92-11e0-9a8a-a13c97324029/painfully_annoying_invetion/"Here are some easy to follow instructions.

03. Paper Popper or Snapper

The paper popper/snapper, or Chinese firecracker, was one that got you in less trouble than the previous snapper. You didn’t need to cause pain to anyone – at least, not physically. This one was used to torture people psychologically by either snapping it when they didn’t expect it and scaring the daylights out of them, or as a sort of juvenile form of waterboarding, by being super annoying with it.

There were two different kinds of poppers and instructions to make both can be found online. Want to make a paper snapper and perhaps stir up some old memories? This website shows you how.

04. Rubber Band Gun

In a different time and era, you could bring squirt guns, dart guns, and a homemade rubber band gun, to school. No one was triggered. No one fled for safe space and demanded sensitivity training. These days, simply making a gun symbol with your fingers is enough to get you detention or suspended. In fact, there is even a case of a deaf child whose name in sign language used something that resembled a gun. That caused quit the commotion and he was told that he had to come up with a nickname of some sort. Apparently, histrionics and emotes won the day and no one within the school administration go the memo, that fingers shoot blanks.

Anyhow, rant over. The rubber band gun came in a variety of sizes. It could be a large one made with a 2×4 or it could be even made with a ruler. Later on down the road and after my time, people would actually carve pistol ir rifle shapes out of wood. Can you imagine the social justice warrior campaign, calls for boycotts, and demands for resignation on that one? Ethics probes left and right.

Want to make a rubber band gun and shoot the kids? Visit this website and have at them!

05. Pen Spitball Gun

The pen spitball gun was the best way to conceal a prank device. Looks like a pen, but is a weapon of gross destruction. These were best unleashed before the bell rang for everyone to sit down, or in between classes in the hallways. The sound was too much of a giveaway. Laughter would be had for shooting spittle soaked wads into people’s hair, on the back of their shirts, or anywhere they would stick.

The more diabolical boys would turn it into a pen blowgun by placing a needle or pin into the wad and inflict some pain. I’ve been on the receiving end of more than my fair share of these. No one managed to “shoot ‘yer eye out!”

06. Sipping Straw Popper

Perhaps the most addicting of the group – as anyone who gets excited when something arrives in the mail and includes bubble wrap knows all too well. Typically, these were set off during lunch time when straws were circulated, but anyone who was determined to be disruptive would bring some from home or grab more than one. These could be saved for later.

All one needed to do to scare someone, is to grab each end with a separate hand, twirl them around your fingers, and trap air in the center of the straw. Of course, this tied your hands up, so you would need a partner in crime to assist you. Place as close as possible to someone’s ear without them noticing, and your pal would flick the center of the straw and make a loud pop.

Many girls looked forward to having these pop an inch from their ears and asked lots of boys out on dates, right after.

07. Bread Clip Flicker

The final school device was the bread clip flicker. All one needed was a finger and as many of those little plastic clips used to tie a loaf of bread. They had two “teeth” and when you snapped one of the teeth off, you could wedge the remaining tooth between the flesh of your finger and the fingernail of your pointer or middle finger.

To fire it you just needed to place your thumb on the first joint of the finger that was “loaded” and create tension between both digits. Aim, fire, rejoice. Reload, rinse and repeat. The beauty of these is that they were silent when fired, you could pretend to have your head buried in schoolwork while it was in flight, so that when it hit its target – or even missed and smacked into something loudly – no one would suspect you. Assuming, you could stifle your chuckle.

Do you recall any of these devices? All of them? Do you remember any that didn’t make the list? Which of these was your favorite?

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