We will reach Labor Day on Monday and the unofficial end of the summer season. All municipal buildings and the post office will be closed. Cookouts and outdoor activities, including the beach, will be the order of the day. Traffic is considerably lighter and parking spaces are not as hard to find if you go into town. The VTA buses begin their fall schedule on Monday and the SSA boat schedule changes on Thursday.

Business at the Dumptique should be brisk as a fair amount of people will be dropping off items they enjoyed over the summer but no longer need, and signs advertising yard and garage sales will be numerous. It is a perfect opportunity to clean up the yard and perform other outdoor chores. Most college students have or shortly will return to their respective colleges and settle in.

Activity around the school has increased dramatically as teachers have started preparing for the opening of school Tuesday morning. School buses will soon be on the road so be prepared to stop when you see red flashing lights at the top of the buses, as the driver is about to put out the stop sign.

Beach stickers will be required at Lambert’s Cove beach until Sept. 15.

Peter Luskin of Beirut, Lebanon was here visiting his family and many friends recently. He remarked that the traffic congestion in town on Saturday mornings was worse than the Middle East.

Alex Karman of Albany, N.Y. is vacationing at his mother’s home on State Road. He is hosting several house guests.

Sally Raymond Thibault of Washington was here for the fair visiting her sister Ann Burt. Sally and Ann have judged senior baking at the fair for several years.

Phyllis Meras, of Music street, held her annual season ending party on her back lawn late Saturday afternoon and it was well attended. A good time was had by all. She went down to NYC on Sunday on business and returned home yesterday.

Olivia Larsen, over at the library, reports on two events Saturday. Between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., drop by the children’s room for family crafts and the young adult room for teen crafts. This week’s family craft is corn cob printing and the other craft is crystal magnets.

At 4 p.m., author and sportswriter Jim Kaplan will give a book talk featuring his new book, Clearing the Bases: A Veteran Sportswriter on the National Pastime. Books will be available for purchase and signing. Refreshments will be served.

The West Tisbury school opened for the school year on Sept. 8, 1947 with 20 students registered for all four grades. Helen R. O’Donnell returned for her fourth year of teaching all grades. Students that year enrolled in the first grade were: John Alley, Virginia Bardwell, George Churchill and John Gaffey. Grade two: Winifred Alley, Dixon Rogers and Robert Vincent. Grade three: Rita Alley, Elizabeth Churchill, Margaret Duquette, Anne Hotchkiss, Joan Merry, Walter Vincent, and Margaret Wilkinson. Grade four: Judith Barker, Alfred Churchill Jr., Crichton Magee Jr., Linda Magnuson and Denys Wortman. The Churchill children arrived permanently as their parents had recently purchased a home in town. Anne Hotchkiss went to Arabia the latter part of October with her mother and brothers and Denys Wortman returned to Vineyard Haven later in the fall. Miss Irene Landers was the school nurse and Miss Dorothy Kenney, music supervisor, visited the school during the opening week.

Happy birthday to: Diane Carbone, Ebba Hierta, Tessa Wall, Karen Russillo and Candace Webster Friday; Hilary Blocksom, Bob Pacheco, Nelia Decker, Ann Bassett and Jane Dreeben Saturday; Dick Burt, Amanda Kram and Mary Sobel on Sunday; Frank Giglio and John Mazza on Monday; Ward Just, Perry Dripps and Gloria Sylva on Tuesday; Frank Flanders, Laura Marshall, Sig Van Raan, Michael Jackson, Cheryl Larsen and Lisa Rogers on Wednesday; and Barbara Hull, Nancy Cramer, Iwan Tol and Sarah Gruner on Thursday. Anniversary greetings to Jay and Celine Segel on Tuesday. Also celebrating this week are Claire Harrington and Ed Mossy and Matthew and Stacy Hayden. Belated 55th anniversary wishes to Dick and Diana Reische.

Well that is all of the social news for this week’s edition. If you have any news please call or e-mail me. Have a great week.

Send West Tisbury news to alleys@vineyard.net.