Ladybug, Ladybug, Fly Away Home to the Statehouse

Above,  Friday afternoon, Oct. 4 at the Statehouse, (L to R) State Rep.  Jeff Roy, 'ladybug' Vicki Earls, Gov. Maura Healey, 'ladybug' Bill MacNeil, holding an original 1974 bug costume, 'ladybug' Joanne Kelleher Lessard, Historical Commission member, Jan Prentice, and 'ladybug'. former State Rep. Jim Vallee.

In 1974, Franklin second graders, led by teacher Palma Johnson, worked
with local
legislator, Robert Ficco,
to successfully lobby to have the ladybug named as the official state
insect. Some were even present when then-Governor Francis Sargent
signed the bill into law.

On Friday, in a historic marking of the passage of five decades, a
contingent of “Franklin Ladybugs” returned to receive thanks and
congratulations from current Governor Maura Healey. The event was
organized by State Rep. Jeff Roy, who succeeded in bringing former
second grade ladybug and later 10-term State Rep. Jim Vallee to the
event. The event was covered by WHDH TV, Boston 25 and WBZ News Radio
and garnered considerable curiosity from the inhabitants of the State
House.

When Healey parted from the group, she headed off on another nature-themed
activity, visiting “Nibi,” the beaver in Chelmsford, whom she
‘pardoned’ a day earlier from a state mandate that she be
immediately returned to the wild.

During their visit to Boston, the
ladybugs also got a tour of the Statehouse from Roy.

Below, the group paused for one last photo-op in front of the official
portrait of Governor Sargent, who passed away in 1998.