Indigo buntings must be the deepest and brightest blue of all the birds we are likely to see on the Island. A close-up view of a male in good lighting will inevitably invoke a gasp or a “Wow!” from the viewer.

Their song is quite spectacular too. Books describe it in various ways: a musical series of warbling notes, with each phrase given in pairs, or as a lively, high, sharp, strident urgent warble with phrases at different pitches. Of course these verbal descriptions do not do the song justice.

Temperature: Precip.

Day Max. Min. Inches.

Fº Fº

June 20 75 56 .00

June 21 77 64 Trace

June 22 81 63 .00

June 23 80 65 .00

June 24 78 65 Trace

June 25 78 57 .18

June 26 80 63 .00

Water temperature in Edgartown harbor: 72º F.

A point of purchase system for the cafeteria, two hybrid vans and a mobile language lab — these are some of the projects whose funding was approved Monday at the last Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School committee meeting of the fiscal year.

An additional $100,000 for new football field bleachers also got a green light from the committee, using money from the high school excess and deficiency fund which must be allocated before July 1.

Under the Table

Unreported, untaxed, underground income on the Island long has been seen as playing a significant role in the overall Vineyard economy. Now an Island economic profile prepared for the Martha’s Vineyard Commission and the Island Plan has taken a closer look at the Vineyard’s underground economy and its wider implications for Island life.

Rose-Colored Fences

This is peak season for rose-viewing on the Vineyard, with pink wild roses in fields and on roadsides, rambler roses on Edgartown’s white picket fences, clusters of fragrant rosa multiflora tumbling everywhere in West Tisbury where, once, they were planted to be the borders of pastures.

MEMORIAL DESTROYED

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

Taking the A Train

From the Vineyard Gazette editions of June, 1958:

Continued train service between Boston and Woods Hole until June 23 became assured last weekend when Judge Robert P. Anderson, in federal court at New Haven, ordered the present scale of operation continued until a further hearing which he set for that date.

Under the court order, neither the New Haven railroad nor the state of Massachusetts may disturb the existing situation until the hearing.

Adapted from remarks made at the 43rd annual meeting of the board and membership of the Vineyard Conservation Society on June 24:

We’re off and running! The summer fund- raising circuit is underway we’ll attend some truly memorable evenings, bid on incredible auction items and enjoy great food, entertainment and company. We’ll also test our athletic prowess on the links, roads and waters, all in the support of our nonprofit community. These events are a fun and important part of Vineyard life. Through July, there are events almost every night and most weekend evenings in August there are several to choose from.

Four years ago we began our quest for a licensed practical nurse program for the Island to help staff Windemere and the hospital. Our dream was to provide an opportunity for our incredible staff in their educational pursuits.