TIME CAPSULE: In 1974, Girl Scouts from Troop #293 designed what they hoped would become the town’s official flag. Members of the Troop who attended a meeting of the Board of Selectmen to discuss their proposal included (l-r): Susan Angelini, Nancy Angelini, Donna Oliver, Donna Germino, Marsha Berndston and Terry Maio. (Transcript File Photo)

 


By MAUREEN DOHERTY

NORTH READING — A little known anniversary is approaching this spring — the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the official town flag.

During the past half century, the gold flag with green details has quietly stood alongside the American flag and the Massachusetts flag in the official meeting room of the Select Board. For the first two dozen years after its adoption, that room was located in Flint Memorial Hall. In the late 1980s, when plans were underway to convert Flint Memorial Hall into the town’s library and the Town Hall was moved to the former Marea J. Murphy Elementary School on North Street, the town flag was among the many items that made the trek across town to its new home in Room 14.

Few people in town today are aware that the town’s flag was researched, designed and presented for adoption 50 years ago to the Board of Selectmen and Town Meeting by a North Reading Girl Scout Troop.

That’s about to change because on April 1, the current Select Board will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the town flag at the beginning of their meeting (the exact time not known at press time). Sylvia Maio will be in attendance that evening, with pride. She was the leader of Girl Scout Troop #293 back in 1973-74 when she and her assistant leaders, Jean Germino and Eileen Russo, guided their troop through the many necessary steps to make this flag a reality.

Mrs. Maio said the girls in Girl Scout Troop #293 in 1973-74 included: Beth Adamy, Nancy Angelini, Susan Angelini, Marsha Berndston, Maryellen Collins, Linda Eisenhower, Becky Jones, Donna Germino, Paula Graham, Lisa MacMillan, Terry Maio, Leigh Michie, Donna Oliver, Mary Ellen Russo and Stephanie Wardrop. Mrs. Maio is hoping to locate her former troop members so that they may also have the opportunity to attend the April 1 Select Board meeting for this recognition.

After researching the town’s history, according to a story archived in the pages of the North Reading Transcript, the troop designed the gold flag to have a green triangle in the center. Inside the triangle there is a silhouette of the Great Oak on the Town Common. This symbol was chosen because the Great Oak signifies “strength, endurance and life.” On each side of the triangle, also in green, appears a significant year in the town’s history — 1651 is the date that the land north of the Ipswich River was granted to the town of Reading; 1713 is the date of the establishment of the North Parish; and 1853 is the date of incorporation of the Town of North Reading. At the base of the triangle, in large block letters, the words “North Reading” appear in green.

Mrs. Maio recalled that in December of 1973, the girls first met with the Town Administrator at that time to learn about the process of seeking the approval from the board, after which they attended a Selectmen’s meeting in February of 1974 and the April 16, 1974 session of the annual Town Meeting where it was adopted as the official town flag.

Once it was adopted, the Girl Scout Troop “raised the money to have the flag professionally made, and returned to the town and presented the flag to the town,” Mrs. Maio said.

Seeking contact information

The Transcript would like to help Mrs. Maio find as many of her former troop members as possible. Those who may have contact information about any of girls who were members of this troop and involved in the flag project are invited to submit the leads to the Transcript and we will pass the information along to Mrs. Maio so that she may reach out to them. Send an email with “Town Flag” in the subject line to the attention of Maureen Doherty, Editor, at NorthReadingNews@WakefieldItem.com.