In his 2000 best seller “Bowling Alone,” sociologist Robert Putnam painstakingly documented the decline in civic groups of all kinds throughout the United States. Those clubs, churches, volunteer organizations, and boards are a town’s “social capital,” he wrote. They build relationships that knit a community together, and without them a community’s ability to act for the common good is diminished.
Harvard has not been immune from these trends, seen most notably in lower turnouts for Town Meeting and a dearth of candidates running for elected seats on town boards. Attendance has also been low at important hearings where issues key to the town’s quality of life, such as construction of a new elementary school, are debated.
But there remains a richness to Harvard’s life that is reflected in our weekly listings of community events, and two local organizations deserve special credit this week for countering the drift described in Putnam’s survey. One is Arm in Arm, formed to foster community diversity, inclusion, and respect in the aftermath of the 2016 defacement of the Bromfield rock with racist and other hateful graffiti. The other is the League of Women Voters, energized by the addition of new members eager to foster greater engagement in town affairs.
Both groups stepped forward this week to offer unique events to keep Harvard’s civic spirit alive. The first, Arm in Arm’s Saturday, Feb. 10, HC2 conference, organized by Bromfield senior J Woolcock, was an amazing confirmation of our town’s diversity, with stories told by residents that explored our differences while drawing attendees together. Readers who were unable to attend will find an account by reporter Carlene Phillips on page 1 and a recording of the event at the Harvard Cable TV website.
On Tuesday night, Feb. 13, the League of Women Voters of Harvard presented a timely and practical forum on how to run for office, featuring a panel of veteran and newby volunteer board members, as well as presentations by Town Clerk Marlene Kenney and Jason Tait from the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance. The Press will review the forum in next week’s issue, and a video of the presentations has been posted at the Harvard Cable TV website. With Town Caucus and the deadline for nominating papers only five weeks away, now’s the time to consider throwing your hat into the ring. Democracy is not a spectator sport.
A round of applause, please, for Arm in Arm and the LWV.
