May 13, 2025 story and photos submitted by Friends of Old Ship Meeting House
Our democracy depends on active citizens who understand how to use government to improve not only their own life but the lives of others. Third-grade students at three independent schools in Hingham, Derby Academy, St. Paul School and Old Colony Montessori School, are learning how to use our Open Town Meeting form of government to advocate for issues that concern them. Their own Mock Town Meeting will take place on May 21 at 9:15 a.m. at Old Ship Meeting House, 90 Main Street, Hingham.
In the weeks leading up to the meeting, each third grade class chooses a topic and generates an article that goes on the warrant. They research and write the pros and cons to debate the article. Volunteers Mary Eastwood, former principal of South Elementary School, and Bev Vernon, retired Hingham Public School teacher, work with the students’ teachers to create the warrant. Other volunteers like Janice McPhillips, Cleaner Greener Committee of Hingham and Chris Senior, Cohasset Town Manager, explained to students how the town meeting process works. At the town meeting, just like the adults do, they present the pros and cons to the other 200 students, and then everyone votes with “Aye” or “No.” It’s a great introduction to the democratic law-making process!
Bev Vernon established the program two years ago for Hingham’s public schools. Expanding it to the independent schools posed some creative challenges. Because the schools represent a number of communities, many articles are requesting that towns work together: one seeks affordable housing to be provided with 1% of taxes from Scituate, Cohasset, Hingham, Rockland, and Norwell allocated to fund buyers whose income is under $250,000. Another article is to create a downtown play area in Hingham Square. Another regards purchasing a boat to clean up the waters along the shared coastlines.
Lillie Lewis, a third-grade teacher at Derby Academy and a Hingham resident said, “I’m happy to have our students exposed to the form of government our Town has used for centuries. Students benefit from learning to write and think about issues that relate to our town.” She also pointed out that “The Old Ship Meeting House, built in 1681, is where Hingham’s Town Meeting met from 1682 to 1780. How wonderful that the 3rd graders will meet in this historic building.”
Tom Carey, former Hingham Town Moderator, will guide the town meeting process and be the judge of the voice vote on each article. “I am proud to participate in this process for the second time,” says Carey. ”It is wonderful for students to learn how to advocate for what is needed to improve their communities.”
Hingham’s Independent Schools Third Grade Mock Town Meeting will begin at 9:15 AM Wednesday, May 21. Upcoming will be the public schools who will hold their meeting with PRS and Foster on June 9 and East and South on June 10. The public is welcome to attend any or all of these dates at Old Ship Meeting House. Harbor Media will record all of the meetings for later posting on their YouTube channel and airing on Hingham’s community cable TV.
To learn more about the Friends of Old Ship Meeting House: www.oldshipfriends.org