LETTER: That Loco Logo

To the Editor:

Let’s
talk about the “logo”. I have always been extremely leery about
any program being funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. There
are always costs. The City of Franklin that calls itself a Town, has
a logo, the picture of Ben which is our Town Seal. The upgraded and
cleaned up “Town Seal” picture of Ben looks more like Ben
Cartwright than it does Ben Franklin! Have you all forgotten that we,
us the residents of Franklin, are in the town called Franklin, as the
erstwhile residents who were on their way to Boston to register the
Town, on the way heard that Ben Franklin was dead (rumor only) they
put a line thru the name Exeter and changed it to Franklin.

We
are the first town in the Country to be called Franklin! Said
residents decided then to ask Ben to provide a Bell, Ben, being much
wiser, offered that “sense was more beneficial than sound”. Ben
sent the Town some books. Those books are on display in our library.
The most gorgeous building in Town; given to the town by the Ray
sisters as a gift to honor
their parents.

Today,
these books are in a
museum-quality humidity controlled glass case and
on view for all and
everyone who enters the library. The library reading room is adjacent
to the books, it resembles a reading room in a castle
in Ireland or France. The same type round reading tables are arranged
around the room with the most top, top made reading chairs which were
purchased and donated by the Friends of the Franklin Library. The
Franklin Library Association
paid for the cleaning of all the murals and painting in said room as
well as the cleaning and upgrading of the pictures in the lobby and
the fixing of the massive
metal entry door. All
was accomplished during the Library upgrade several
years ago.

We
have these treasures because we were the first
Franklin. The town also was and is considered the home
of the first free
public library in the country,
and we raised and educated Horace Mann, the Father of Public
Education.

The
proposed logo for the town, is a series of squiggles and some lines,
wait, or is it some squiggles and series of lines? It is not
Franklin! Having the seal with Ben on it , that makes Franklin
special. Not squiggles and lines.

Most
everyone knows our seal, with the the
familiar image of Ben.
Ben was not perfect, but then again neither are any of us.

Use
the seal as it looks now. Do not change it. Adopt that “seal” as
our logo. Why change for the sake of changing. Leave Ben alone and
protect and cherish what we have. This is a kerfuffle and a
boondoggle!!! If do not understand these words, visit the library,
they know and will help you.

--Judith
Pond Pfeffer

Atty.
Judith Pond Pfeffer, was
a 2-year member of the Franklin School Committee, 21-year
member of the Franklin Town Council, and 33-year member of the
Franklin Housing Trust (in all its name iterations).