Frank Stanley Beveridge:The Man and His Legacy
is a half-hour documentary produced by Clio Associates this summer for The Beveridge Foundation, Inc. of Boca Raton, Florida.

The video history incorporates hundreds of photographs, historical documents and vintage film footage. Our research took us on numerous visits to the attic barn at Stanley Park in Westfield (MA); the library archives at Northfield Mount Hermon School in Northfield (MA); and the Easthampton (MA)Historical Society. As helpful as these repositories were, however, the most valuable source of information proved to be Homer G. Perkins, of Easthampton (MA) and former CEO of Stanley Home Products, now a division of CPAC, Inc. We conducted a series of on-camera interviews with Mr. Perkins. His superb memory and story-telling skills provide the foundation for the video narrative.

Frank Stanley Beveridge was born in Canada in 1879 and raised on a farm in Pembroke Shores near Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Early in life he sought a better education and in 1900 traveled on his own to Mount Hermon School where he came under the influence of the great spiritual leader Dwight L. Moody. When Beveridge arrived at the school he possessed only a quarter, a dime and one Canadian dollar bill. Three years later he left Mount Hermon for upstate New York, married and started a family, and eventually joined the Fuller Brush Company in Hartford, CT where he rose to become Director of Sales.

Beveridge had always wanted to start his own company, so at age 52 he purchased an old tobacco shed in Westfield, MA where in the midst of the Great Depression he founded Stanley Home Products in 1931. The enterprise rapidly developed into a multi-million dollar company, becoming a popular and much emulated leader in the direct sales industry.

A generous man and active philanthropist, he created the Beveridge Foundation in 1947. Remaining true to his boyhood love of nature, Mr. Beveridge also established Stanley Park on twenty-five acres of Westfield land in 1949. Today the park encompasses approximately 300 acres of formal gardens, a carillon tower, trails, sports fields and a nature area. It has been described as a "public estate" and regularly receives thousands of visitors.

Frank Stanley Beveridge died just before Christmas in 1956. In his eulogy Dr. William E. Park, President of Simmons College, remarked: "It was but natural that a man of such public spirit should have had bestowed on him many, many honors. He was genuinely pleased ...but he never fooled himself into thinking that he had accomplished so much alone ...He made his way up from poverty to fame and fortune, and yet there was never any arrogance or complacency about him..."

In October excerpts from the documentary will be shown at a dinner of The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts when the Beveridge family will be honored for its years of philanthropy benefiting communities throughout the region. Accepting the award will be Philip Caswell, president of The Beveridge Foundation and grandson of Frank Stanley Beveridge.

The Center of Hope and Clio Associates Partner to Inspire Others

Several years ago, Gaetana Aliotta of Westfield, MA heard the words that many of us dread hearing "you have cancer." With three small children and the pressures of coping with this disease, she discovered that she needed a support group ...and there was none available. Through her experiences, she decided to found the Center of Hope at Noble Hospital. Now, five years later it is a model support community for people diagnosed with cancer and for their families. The Center of Hope is a safe and comfortable home-like environment that doesn't feel like a hospital, and it offers many types of support groups: for the newly diagnosed, those living with cancer, a spirituality group, and more.

In order for the Center to be open to anyone in need and not charge for its services, the Center of Hope relies on a grassroots effort of support from the business community, Noble Hospital, private donations, and fund raisers. In 2001, Clio Associates was approached by Gaetana Aliotta to produce a video that explained how the Center of Hope changes lives. Gaetana explains, "I wanted a video because imagery does so much more than words alone. We're very proud that 80% of our funds go directly to the people who use our services and their families. We want to show what happens in this house. The video is empowering ...moving ...connecting. We have a fund-raising tennis tournament, 'Compete Against Cancer,' and we show this video at the dinner, and people are transformed when they see how their donation has affected others." The theme of this year 's 2002 video was 'The Hero Within '. It was shown at the September 13th dinner and was received with rave reviews. As a result, the yearly video has become part of the Center 's annual fund-raising process.

It is also a testament to Aliotta and others who contribute to this totally volunteer-run Center that their efforts have not gone unrecognized. After seeing the video, Bay State Medical Center asked the Center of Hope to help them establish a similar house at their new regional oncology center in Springfield. Now others will share in the support this wonderful community provides. For more information contact the Center of Hope, 413. 562. 0110/1191, or visit their web site at www.center-of-hope.org

When the Library of Congress was looking for organizations of people to assist in the nationwide gathering of veterans'stories, Clio Associates volunteered its services to this formidable and very needed effort. Enter Holly Mott, an Ada Comstock student at Smith College and American Studies major (see our spring/summer newsletter), who not only came to work at Clio, but also was able to do an internship affiliated with this project.

"It was an evolving process," states Mott,"but I made sure I did my homework on many different levels. I began by reading background material to try to get a sense of the times and pivotal historical events. For example, I read Stephen Ambrose's work on D-Day, as well as several other books. It was important that I try to understand where my participants were coming from since I --the interviewer-- was considerably younger than all of them. My first interview was tough and I had to reach a comfort level on how to ask questions, but I quickly appreciated the craft of interviewing."

Through the summer Mott interviewed 16 veterans from World War II, the Korean Conflict, and Vietnam. What did she learn most from this project?" I'm an American Studies major so I do love the past. I wasn't reading it in a book ...I was getting a personal glimpse into history. In interview after interview, these people became ageless to me. I was struck by their ability to sacrifice ...to endure. They didn't question going to war. Many of them came from the farms here in the valley and they would say they were used to hard work and challenges ...so boot camp wasn't difficult for a number of them. They were strong and resolute with a clear perspective of right and wrong, or good and evil. It was so rewarding, particularly during these times, to meet people like this."

What can she recommend to other beginning interviewers? "Just stick with the interview and don't project yourself into the dialogue. It's their story. You're an active listener and your body language is important. Remember it's a privilege to be there and hear their story." This phase of the Veteran's Project is at an end, and the tapes will be forwarded to the Library of Congress to be cataloged and archived for future generations. Clio Associates has been privileged, too, in helping western Massachusetts be represented in this national project.

A short video highlighting the programs and mission of The Garden: A Center for Grieving Children and Teens based at Hampshire Regional YMCA, Northampton (MA).

A video history to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Cooley Dickinson Hospital Auxiliary in Northampton (MA) in 2004.

Videotaped oral histories of Holocaust survivors for an exhibit and documentary of the Hatikvah Holocaust Education and Resource Center in Springfield (MA).

Videotaped oral histories, artifacts, historic photographs and film for an exhibit and documentary, "Preserving Our Past: A Popular History of Southbridge" organized by the Jacob Edwards Library and town of Southbridge (MA).

Video history commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Plainfield (MA) Volunteer Firefighters Association, including oral histories, historic photographs and documents.