* Interesting people, places, and stories*

(2007-2008)

  

 

Watching and listening

for the Shot Heard 'Round the World

 

You don’t need a time machine to see the Battle of Lexington and Concord.

You can see a reenactment of the first battle of the Revolutionary War on Patriots’ Day (April 21) on the Lexington Green.

Even though this is an annual event, the reenactors still must practice. The battle starts with a shouting match in which the Redcoats try to get the Minutmen to lay down their arms, but they refuse. The Redcoats fix their bayonets and then the first shot is fired, followed by many more. (In the rehearsal, the guns weren't actually shooting, they were just making clicking noises. But during the actual reenactment the guns fire realistic blanks.)

Eventually, the Patriots are chased off the field -- followed by much "Huzzah!"-ing.

The event starts at 6 a.m. Patriots' Day but you should get there much earlier (more like 3 a.m.), especially if you have kids. Bring supplies such as food, sleeping bags, chairs, blankets, pillows – and remember to dress warmly. After the battle, area churches serve pancake breakfasts. (For a complete list of the many Patriots’ Day events in the area, follow the link at the bottom of the page.)

The Cunniff Kids News staff went to the rehearsal April 6 on a frigid, spitting day. Here are some of the people we met:

(All stories reported and written by Charlotte V., Daniel D., Ryan O., Katherine L., Tia P., Renee S., Ryan L., and Katelynn O., and CKN correspondents Sean L., Kiera O., Danielle P., and Shane S.)

 

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Michael Bonislowski is from Lexington, and he is a professor at Salem State College. He plays the part of a Colonial militiaman. This is his fourth year.

He wears a navy coat with a white shirt and grey vest underneath. His pants went to his knees and white long stockings, and he had black shoes with golden buckles. He carries a musket.

He shared many facts about Revolutionary War times:

* Each town had its own militia company and would get together and fight in its own town.

* The law was that once a boy turned 15 years old he would have to join the militia, he had to buy a musket, tomahawk, and knife and would have to be a member until he was 60 years old.

* Muskets were not very good guns, because for every four times you fire it wouldn’t work at least one of those times, and in bad weather it worked less.

* In the battle at Lexington, eight men were killed. There were 77 militia men in the battle, but there were 750 British soldiers.

 

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Tom Coots plays Captain John Parker of the Colonial militia in the reenactment on Lexington Green.  The real battle happened here April 19, 1775. The British Army wins the battle, but the captain of the militia doesn’t get shot.

Coots became interested in American history when he was in the third grade. He was visiting Lexington and saw the reenactment and thought it was cool.  He answered and advertisement for people to participate in the reenactment.

He started out as a British Redcoat.  Now his son also does the reenactment with his father.

 

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Ed Hubbard from Natick plays a British Redcoat in the 5th Foot Regiment. His uniform has pea green cuffs and the Roman numeral “V’’ on the buttons, both to show which regiment he is in.

Most of the Redcoats were from either England or Ireland. Hubbard’s father is English and his mother is Irish.

 

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Susan Lester of Newton plays the role of a British loyalist whose husband is a surgeon for the British soldiers. She wears a white bonnet, red cape, white blouse, and a long blue dress. She carries a basket with yarn and scissors.

She has two sons that are privates in the British Army. Her daughter was there, too, dressed in a similar outfit.
Her husband, Lloyd, was also at the rehearsal, dressed in tailor-made period clothes. But because there was no surgeon at the battle, he does not participate in the rehearsal.

“My kids are interested in history and it’s a great way to do things together,’’ he said.

 

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Tom Balcom plays a British private. He is a grenadier, so he wears lots of red and gold, white, and, green.

 

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Joe Mallen is also on the British side, playing a part in the 5th Regiment foot. He does this reenactment because he likes it and thinks it is very fun to do.

 

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Mike plays the part of an American farmer in the reenactment. In real life, he lives in Lexington, too.

 

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Corporal Samuel Sanderson of Captain Parker’s militia is played by Paul Duval. He lives down the street from the Green and thought it looked like fun. He was assigned a character, as many people are when they join.

 

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PHOTO GALLERY: See behind-the-scenes pictures of the rehearsal and its participants at An Eye for News (at left).

 

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There are many events marking the start of the Revolutionary War held throughout the region over the next two weeks, starting Saturday, April 12. For a complete list and description of activities, go to  http://www.battleroad.org/.

Also on the site http://www.battleroad.org/ is a description of the Battle of Lexington and Concord, links to all of the area’s reenactor groups, and pictures and video of past events.

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The magician's secret? Practice

 

By RACHEL Q. and LUKE M.

Cunniff Kids News staff reporters

Did you ever want to know how magicians learn their tricks?

On Wednesday afternoon at the Watertown Middle School, Bonaparte, a magician, teaches five eager students how to perform tricks.

In a class full of burning books and decks of cards, Bonaparte shows his curious students how to stick pens through quarters, make objects disappear, and cards fly.

But he also shows them how it is done.

He has the kids practice using props and everyday items. First, Bonaparte performs the magic trick. The kids’ reactions are wide-eyed and curious. He then has them try to figure out how it is done.

Following a reminder that “magicians can’t tell secrets” to a trick, he shows them how it is performed. The kids are given pointers, such as how to distract the audience and using angles for hiding props.

When asked why they were taking classes, all of the students replied because it was fun and interesting.

“[I] like to show my family and trick them,’’ said Laurence Read.

Both Brendan Lally and Patrick O’Connor agreed, adding, it is “fun to learn a lot of new things.”

Jennifer Grey said, “I want to be a magician … [and] put on my own shows.”

With the help of Bonaparte, she is well on her way.

(For more, go to the photo gallery at An Eye for News.)

 

(To learn more about Bonaparte, go to www.bonapartemagic.com)

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He makes homework disappear 

Bonaparte claims he’s from Quylar.

He says Quylar is a purple planet seven solar systems from Earth.

“Take a right at the Nebular Galaxy and it’s the first purple planet on the left,” he said.

Bonaparte is a silly magician who performs often in Massachusetts. He magically makes books and cell phones catch fire and he is teaching a magic class Wednesday afternoons at the Watertown Middle School. (The class, open to middle schoolers, will be offered again in the spring, according to the staff at Watertown Community Education.)

“I introduce magic through the principles of magic,” he said.

Covered in the class are misdirection, prop tricks, and non-prop tricks.

“You can do some magic tricks anywhere,” he said.

Bonaparte grew up in Washington, D.C. When he was 5 or 6 he decided he wanted to be a lawyer and go to Harvard University. Around that time, he started to practice magic. He lived up to his goals and became a government major at Harvard. But he thought being a magician was more fun than a boring, old government job.

Bonaparte is a very busy. He performs at Children’s Hospital in Boston seven or eight times a month, as well as at birthday parties and bar mitzvahs.

He said he doesn’t have a favorite trick.

“My favorite trick is the audience’s favorite trick,” he said.

He performs card tricks and reads minds. He also uses a dove named Snow and a bunny named Frisky that he says are from Limboland.

Bonaparte is good at magic – and loves doing it – but he has one important lesson for all future magicians.

“Some people think that if you’ve been shown the secret of a trick, they think that they can just do it,’’ he said, “but they really need to practice.’’

(Story reported and written by Cunniff Kids News staff reporters Austin F., Matt M., Charlotte V., Rachel Q., Michelle A., Rachel A., Daniel D., Lauren P., Frederick P., Isabella V., and Julia F., and CKN correspondent Aimee B.)

(For more, go to the photo gallery at An Eye for News.) 

 

(To learn more about Bonaparte, go to www.bonapartemagic.com)

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One voice, many roles

Scott Wahle is not just a news reporter.

Wahle, the co-anchor of the “TV 38 News at 9”, also performs in musicals. Wahle has performed the leads in four musicals with the Reagle Players in Waltham: “1776”, “Fiddler on the Roof”, “The Will Rogers Follies”, and “The Music Man.”

“That’s a real neat thing when you have that instant response,” said Wahle, who grew up in the Boston area. “My passion is theater.”

Wahle came to WBZ-TV in 1989 after six years in Detroit. He has also covered the NHL, worked on ESPN’s “Sportscenter,” and done the morning news. Although he has done many jobs, sometimes when he’s on the air he can get a bit nervous. So he has a trick.

“When I first started I got nervous, and then somebody told me to picture the camera lens as my mom,” said Wahle, who has four kids, including a fourth-grader.

After all the things he has done, there is one that he likes best.

“My favorite job is being a dad,” he said.

 (Story reported and written by Cunniff Kids News staff reporters Austin F., Jillian M., Matt M., Charlotte V., Rachel Q., Michelle A., Rachel A., Daniel D., Lauren P., Frederick P., Isabella V., Julia F., and Luke M.)

(For more, go to the photo gallery at An Eye for News.)

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