"I saw the old town hall burn down. Then the fire alarm was the church bell.  It rang. (Someone would have to go to the church and ring the bell to alert everyone of a fire.) The procedure was to harness the horse, hitch him into the democrat wagon, throw in pails and shovels that were available and start off with the horse on a dead run.

          "I recall no system of numbers in ringing the bell.  I suspect that one chased the smoke if by day or visible flames if at night.  So, off toward the center of town in the early morning I went.  This time father got away without me, so I ran part way, joined up with someone trying to run a yoke of oxen (to the fire).  It was too slow, so I took off on the last lap to get to what was the most spectacular fire I had ever seen.  Now, in thinking back, I suppose the loss carried away the physical evidence of our greatest traditional building - first church and then town hall."

(The First Church, built in 1733, was given to the town to be use as the Town Hall.     A new Church was build in 1852 a little west of where the First Church stood.         The 2nd Halifax Congregational Church still stands today.)

submitted by: Sue Basile 

                      Mothers Day Brunch

Thursday, May 7 at noon

Town Hall

This delightful brunch is open to all women-mothers, daughters, grandmas & granddaughters, best friends and neighbors. 

There will be delicious brunch foods, including eggs & French toast and fresh fruit for only a $2.50 donation.

Entertainment will be provided by Tommy Rull

Please call the COA at 781-293-7313 today to reserve your

seat.  

Common Core Workshop #2

	The Halifax Board of Selectmen has placed the following non-binding referendum of the ballot for the Town Election on Saturday, May 16: Question 1:    Do you request that the State Legislature nullify the 2010 decision of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to adopt the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks which incorporate the Common Core State Standards, and returning the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks to the pre-2010 Massachusetts State Standard?    Please note that the question is non-binding and since it is on the ballot and is not an article at the Special or Annual Town Meetings in May, the question will not be debated at the Town Meetings.    The forum will be held on Thursday, May 7 from 7pm to 9pm in the All-Purpose Room of the Halifax Elementary School and will feature presentations by Dr. Sandra Stotsky and Jaimie Gass. More information about the event is available at this Facebook posting: In addition, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education will hold a series of public forums across the Commonwealth on the upcoming decision on whether to sunset the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) and adopt the Partnership for the Assessment of College and Careers (PARCC). Members of the public will be invited to attend and offer their perspectives on the PARCC assessments at sessions across the state.

 Halifax Congregational Church Rummage Sale

Event:   Rummage Sale

Day:      Sat, May 9

Time:     9:00 - 1:00 pm

Place:    Halifax Congregational

Church, 503 Plymouth St 

There will be men's, women's, and children's clothing, kitchen and housewares, jewelry, small appliances, small furniture, ceramics, glassware, knick knacks, books, toys, games and much more! 

At noon there will be a Bag Sale where you will have the opportunity to buy a small bag for $1 or a large bag (trash bag) for $5 to put as many remaining non-sold items as possible into your bag.

We will be serving hot muffins made from scratch and baked in the church kitchen the morning of the sale along with coffee or tea.

If you have gently used items you would like to donate to the Rummage Sale, they can be dropped off at the church on Friday, May 8 from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall.  If you need to have items picked up, please contact Susan Mahan at 781-293-0422 to make arrangements. www.halifaxcongregationalchurch.org

Please come and enjoy getting a great bargain or two!