"THE DEDICATION, or One of those Moments that makes Marblehead a very special town." -- THE MARBLEHEAD REPORTER story by Bob Triplett - May 27, 1976

Howdy from Bob Duff,

Marked pages 1 & 2 of this e-mail copy belong down behind the Thornton Clark picture from the newspaper micro film before its marked pages 3 & 4 .  This blog software keeps doing strange things to me.  SORRY!

This has been a  special week for me bringing forth happy little artifacts from past times with the International One Design yachts in Marblehead.  This article by Bob Triplett from the MARBLEHEAD REPORTER - May 1976 says it all quite nicely. 

THE EDWARD ADAMS DIXEY JUNIOR MEMORIAL TREE  belongs to Jill and Tom Hoffman of Franklin Street Marblehead.  Without them there would be no story. 

Click on the clipping to get bigger type.  You can almost recognize me in the dark picture leading the "ragtag parade" with my bagpipes and "the Guest of Honor, Ed Dixey (sic Dixie?) as Triplett wrote.  This and several other photos are dark with the ancient micro film technology of 30+ years ago.  I can send some better copies to you by e-mail, but they are dark.  Just write rduff19@comcast.net.

                             The microfilm is from Marblehead Abbott Public Library where the librarian Chris Evans was fantastic aiding my quest. I wrote the e-mail below (blog software has forced it ABOVE and then BELOW) late last night after we "found" the missing brass plaque.  My recollections were not too far off from what Bob Triplett wrote years ago.

I hasten to point out that I was NOT a "pie eyed piper" as Triplett implied; and though not a great bagpipe player as Tripett says "of questionable talent" , I was the best one around for the parade.  That is the story of my extensive bagpiping life.

ADDED NOTE IN GREEN

 of 11/05/2008---

I just learned from the MARBLEHEAD CEMETERY  DEPARTMENT at WATERSIDE CEMETERY  that Edward Adams Dixey Junior died on June 26, 2000.  Consequently, I am marking my 2009 calender for a REDEDICATION CEREMONY near that ninth anniversary of Ed's death and the thirty-third anniversary of the initial dedication of THE EDWARD ADAMS DIXEY JUNIOR MEMORIAL TREE  by The Little Harbor Historical Society.  

I have ordered TWO reproduction sets of the brass plaques.  One set will be re-placed on the tree exactly like the originals at the re-dedication ceremony.  The other set, along with the historic originals, will be presented to the Hoffman's friend, Judy Anderson,  for a proposed permanent display at THE MARBLEHEAD HISTORICAL SOCIETY.  Judy will be invited to attend the celebration to accept these treasures.   

 I  am asking here and will do so again in person, that THE REPORTER  newspaper cover this late May/early June 2009 event with a special re-printing of that May 27, 1976 article shown (poorly) above.  I would hope that, as a minimum, they could at least reprint the two pictures of Bob Duff that did not reproduce very well from micro film.   THE REPORTER should cover this re-dedication ceremony.  Maybe we should also invite some other North Shore papers to attend and report.  THE BOSTON GLOBE?  Perhaps these papers could invite the general public to this great occasion! 

 I am certain that Jill and Tom Hoffman will attend since they own the tree.  I will encourage Thornton and Pat Clark to journey to Marblehead from home in Alabama for this important occasion.  I promise dinner for them at the Eastern Yacht Club. 

 I will try to track down Dave Smith and Charlie Hamlin who both made memorable speeches that day.   Current owners of IOD #16 TANGO, Rachel and Ian Morrison and Mickael Best MUST be there so it cannot be on a race day.  Though it has eluded me so far, I will either find the old one or try to write anew the "epic poem" which Bob Tiplett seemed to like and which was received so enthusiastically on that wonderful day in 1976.  

CAVEAT LECTOR!   See you next week.