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- Written by Ginna Schonwald
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It’s 28 degrees outside on a December morning and a group of 4-8-year-olds and their teachers are walking through the woods with their backpacks, to spend the morning in unrestricted free play. This “Little Wild Ones” group is one of several offered by the innovative Timbernook program, headquartered in Barrington.
“We have to go over that bridge. I think it has ice on it. I’m going to check,” says Eric*, age 5, running ahead.
“Don’t go in the water,” Mikayla*, age 7, reminds me as we head across the bridge. This was a rule discussed at circle time.
We are heading for a blue tarp where 20 kids and four teachers are gathering to take off their backpacks and have a snack before they begin the unstructured free play which is the hallmark of the Timbernook program.
“Last time there was a stream and I followed it,” Caroline*, age 8, tells Kellie Barr Foster, “but I did not go in the water.” Kellie, the lead teacher for the program, tells me that the play is different every day. “We do a song and a story to inspire them. Then the kids have a good hour and a half of free play. The adults keep a low profile – we often get down on the ground to be as invisible as possible. We try to be interesting and fun during the storytime, but boring during free play.”
The goal of the program is to help kids develop their own ideas for play and to work out problems on their own without adults telling them what to do. “We’ve been talking a lot about executive functioning,” Kellie tells me. “Kids are losing it. Kids at nineteen are supposed to be able to make all these decisions, but they have never developed the executive functioning because they’ve never had the freedom to make their own decisions. So we are trying to back it up to the time when kids should be developing these skills.”
Timbernook began as a summer camp developed by Barrington-based pediatric occupational therapist Angela Hanscom. “In order to empower children, we need to give them freedom,” Hanscom says. She has been an outspoken proponent of unrestricted outdoor play for kids for more than 10 years, noting that kids need this type of play for healthy development.
“We create a ‘Yes’ environment. We remove as many hazards as possible – things like bees’ nests, glass, weak limbs. We remove the hazards, but not the risks.” Hanscom notes that kids might choose to take a risk like jumping off a rock or climbing a tree. “Kids naturally regulate what risks they are ready for,” she explains. She points to research which suggests that removing risks from kids' play areas restricts healthy development. Even a simple activity like picking up sticks can inspire creativity when the child decides what to do or build with it. Picking up heavy sticks can help kids develop their senses.
Hanscom is the author of the book Balanced and Barefoot: How unrestricted outdoor play makes for strong, confident children and a recipient of the Glamour Magazine Hometown Hero Award. Since she began her year-round program in Barrington in 2013, the Timbernook model has spread around the world. There are now over 60 Timbernook-certified programs from California to New Zealand.
Hanscom explains that recent research suggests that most children today have an underdeveloped vestibular system. She explains that the vestibular system helps kids develop balance and regulate sensory input. “It helps you to know where your body is in space,” she says. In a pilot study which Hanscom conducted in a local school, she found only one out of every 12 children could meet the balance and core strength standardized averages of children from 1984. “In the medical world, one of the important things you are taught is to do no harm. We are at the point of doing harm to our children by over-restricting them,” she explains.
When free play begins, Eric* immediately begins hauling tires down to the marshy area. “He’s our engineer,” Kellie says. “He likes to build things.” Pretty soon other kids are joining in, hauling tires and boards down to the water to help create a bridge. Several kids gather around making suggestions, bringing more supplies and helping to create the bridge. A line forms to go across.
“It’s not ready. It’s not ready!” the first boy across warns everyone, as he runs off in search of one more board to help shore up the bridge.
A few boys lose interest and run off with sticks to play a superhero. Kellie watches as the sticks turn into swords. “So, I’m watching this to see if I need to say something. We have a rule – sticks go on sticks but sticks don’t go on bodies.” As it turns out the boys change direction and run off into another area of the woods. “They help make the rules, so when I do have to call them out on it, they tend to say ‘Oh, yeah. I remember that.’”
For the most part, the kids ignore the adults who are scattered around through the woods, keeping an eye out as the play develops. Occasionally a child will come to an adult to ask a question, but mostly they figure it out themselves or with the help of another child.
Hanscom notes that kids need at least a few hours of unrestricted outdoor play each day to develop proper balance, coordination, and executive functioning skills, among other things. Unfortunately, many kids have little time for unrestricted play, and this takes a toll on their ability to sit still and pay attention in school. That is one reason that Timbernook launched a school program this February. So far, 6 schools have become Timbernook-certified, with more currently working through the process.
Teachers spend a week at the Barrington facility to see the program in action and learn how to set it up at their own location. Timbernook staff also visit the school to help them design the environment for their outdoor program which can happen once a week or more. “We even help them design extension activities to use when they get back into the classroom. So if they are working on a giant marble run outside, they can go back inside and talk about the physics of it or have some STEM activities around that,” Hanscom explains. Timbernook staff even help with designing the curriculum to meet the school’s learning standards.
Back at the “Little Wild Ones” class, a line of kids are backed up, waiting to cross the bridge. They chant, “Go Gavyn. Go Gavyn. Go Gavyn,” to the youngest member of the group, who is at the front of the line, trying to determine if this risk is the one he is ready for.
*Children’s names are changed to protect their privacy.
Timbernook runs year-round programs in Barrington for ages 18 mos. to 14 years of age.
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- Written by Patrick R. McElhiney
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December 12, 2019 [Exeter, NH] – From now until the end of the year, Patagonia Action Works will match all donations – up to $10,000 per donation – to SELT, the Southeast Land Trust of New Hampshire. Matching will continue until the end of the year or until the national $10,000,000 threshold is met.
For nearly 40 years, Patagonia has supported grassroots groups working to find solutions to the environmental crisis. But in this time of unprecedented threats, it’s often hard to know the best way to get involved. That’s why Patagonia is offering this opportunity to connect individuals with local Patagonia grantees (such as SELT), in order to act on the most pressing issues facing the world today.
SELT became a Patagonia grantee in 2018 with the help of local Patagonia retailer, Rob Garneau of Travel & Nature in Exeter, NH. According to Rob, "SELT has become a very important part of our community. It is easy to take for granted the many trails, rivers, and nature sanctuaries that we adventure in, but thanks to SELT and those who donate to their cause, we get to enjoy the many wonders of our home. We fully believe and trust in the hard work that SELT does to protect, revive, and breathe life back into our lands that have otherwise been ignored. This is why we do what we do, to allow our community to enjoy this beautiful earth we have been given."
Brian Hart, Executive Director of SELT, shared, “We are so grateful to be selected by Patagonia for this opportunity. Through Patagonia Action Works, they aspire to connect people to the organizations in their communities who are making a difference in the environment. By providing this platform, we are hoping more people can learn about our work and make a gift to protect wildlife habitat, clean drinking water, farmland for the future, and outdoor recreation in southeastern New Hampshire.”
With this dollar-for-dollar match from Patagonia, donations will be doubled: $1 becomes $2. $20 becomes $40, and $10,000 becomes $20,000. Gifts of any size will have a huge impact and help SELT save, share, and steward lands you love in southeastern New Hampshire.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to give the gift of giving,” said Beverly Shadley, SELT’s Deputy Director. She continued, “For people who are looking to reframe their holiday gift-giving to focus less on stuff and more on experiences and impact, making a donation in someone’s honor for a special cause – like SELT – is a really wonderful way to show someone you care.”
To make a gift to SELT that will be matched by Patagonia Action Works, please visit seltnh.org/donate. Donations made through the Patagonia Action Works page will be securely processed by Network for Good. Patagonia will cover processing fees so that SELT will get the entire donation and the entire matching amount. No product purchase is required to donate.
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- Written by Patrick R. McElhiney
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We were all shocked to learn of the news that The Three Socios, LLC purchased the real estate where Phil’s Restaurant sits vacant today, for the purpose of developing the land into a fast-food restaurant, according to sources. They’re the same company that is building the Burger King / 7-Eleven / Mobil Gas Station next to George Calef’s Fine Foods near the intersection of RTE-125 and RTE-9. They reportedly paid a good price for the lot.
Barrington regulars are concerned that the town is being over-developed. People fly through the intersection at RTE-9 / RTE-125 at 50 mph. The trouble started when the intersection went from one lane going straight, to two. People are driving like idiots, and residents are concerned the new properties being developed will only make matters worse. Barrington Elementary School is right near that intersection, and people don’t slow down. It’s not a large enough intersection to pack it full of the hazards that come through with every change of the light.
On Facebook, after we broke the news about the sale @BarringtonTownNews, residents contemplated what type of fast food restaurant may go in there. They suggested KFC/Taco Bell, Arby’s, Sonic, a Quaint Coffeeshop, a Small Diner, Pizza Hut, Friendly’s, Dairy Queen, Popeyes, Hardees / Carl’s Jr., and LongHorn to name a few. One thing was clear – no one expects The Three Socios to deliver a local gem like Phil’s Restaurant was for 40 years.
Many residents were opposed to the concept of a fast-food restaurant going in there. Many residents said Barrington doesn’t need it. One resident said Barrington is going to end up looking like Epping or Plaistow on RTE-125. We attempted to reach out to The Three Socios, LLC, but they wouldn’t respond to comment even after multiple tries. The website for the Burger King property is www.tropicstardevelopment.com, however, it doesn’t list any information about the sale or future development of the location where Phil’s Restaurant was.
2016 Car Accident
What led Barrington, New Hampshire to this point in time happened in 2016, when Phil and his wife Chris were seriously injured in a car accident. Chris had a broken leg, and Phil had broken bones, according to Jim Ratta, a longtime Phil’s patron and friend. They had to close the restaurant for a year, and then to much fanfare, they reopened with reduced hours, closing on Wednesdays. Phil and Chris did that for six months – they made a great team. Phil had a hard time standing after the accident and collapsed at the restaurant one day from a blood clot in the leg, which led to the closing for good in late 2017. Faithful “Philistines” kept hoping they would re-open, but it never happened, and the property was sold in 2019.
The Community
Scot Villeneuve, owner of Big Hit Media in Barrington, New Hampshire started going to Phil’s Restaurant 10 years ago when he was in his 30s. He said there was a loyal following there, and that if you needed a contractor, such as an electrician or a plumber, you went to Phil’s. The previous Barrington Fire Chief, Russell Hayes, was there every morning sitting at the bar eating his breakfast and starting his day, according to Villeneuve. The quality of people there were some of the most well-known and loved people of Barrington.
Phil’s opened around 3:00 AM to 4:00 AM. The early morning crew, which came in around 6:00 AM, included Russell Hayes, Lenny Caverly, and Steve Lenzi. The 9:00 AM crew included Paul Steer, Jim Ratta, George Lafleur, Scot Villeneuve, Dave, Betty & Jake, Lenny & Dottie, and Bill who is a snowbird, spending his winters in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Jim Ratta, who owned Barrington Septic, is referred to as a “Philistine”, which means someone that was dedicated to the meaning of being one of Phil’s many followers. He said he first started going into Phil’s regularly in 2000. He said he used to travel there 2-3 times a week. Jim explained that all the old-timers sat in there around the horseshoe-shaped bar. A real treat for Jim was meeting Harlan Calef, George Calef’s father. Harlan would talk about how he taught his granddaughter about stocks and investing, and that’s probably one of the reasons why the Calef’s are such a big part of Barrington’s history. Ratta said of the community at Phil’s, “The good ones make life worthwhile”, and they were at Phil’s Restaurant every morning.
Villeneuve said of Phil’s, “There won’t be another gathering place with the type of people and quality of character that was in the restaurant.” He said the atmosphere was very welcoming to outsiders, adding that patrons would go out of their way to say, “Good morning!”, even though there was a reputation that Phil’s didn’t welcome newcomers. It was a well-used building, the food was good, and the people were great. Phil’s was loved by many of the business owners in town.
Fred Knight, who owns Knight’s Garage next door to Phil’s Restaurant always took care of anyone that needed an oil change or car service, allowing them to drop off their vehicle while they ate and mingled at Phil’s. They’d be able to get something to eat, and two hours later, they’d bring the keys back and say “You’re all done!” The Svenson family that owns the Christmas Dove has a son named Garth that is also a big fan of Phil’s.
There were a lot of veteran patrons at Phil’s Restaurant, including Marines, Army, Navy, and Air Force. There was a Chief Petty Officer with the U.S. Navy that ate there regularly. Bill Turner, a career Air Force man, would be in there doing crossword puzzles from the Foster’s – he’d cheat by asking people for the answers. He’d say “look this up on your computer” because he was amazed by the technology. Jake with the 82nd Airborne had done around 80 paratrooper training jumps. He and his wife Betty, who was the Prom Queen of Newmarket, were at Phil’s daily. She used to help Bill Turner with his crossword puzzles as well.
There were a lot of patrons that were into their 90’s that grew up in the 1930s. They were all nice people, according to Villeneuve. Lester and Barbara Waterhouse were patrons – both into their 90s, and sadly Barbara passed away a few years back. Scot said he’s been to so many funerals of people that ate at Phil’s – that’s how connected the community was.
They would have liked to do a reality TV show there, because it would have been a side-splitting comedy, according to Villeneuve. “The things that came out of the mouths of people that have lived in Barrington all their lives – it’s so real, it’s funny.” He said that Chris Amazeen would answer the phone “all nice”, while Phil would answer “PHIL’S!!!”. Jim Ratta said, “They had more fun down there you could shake two sticks at.” They even fed Jim’s dog, Willy.
The Food
Phil’s served breakfast, and early-on, lunch, including hot dogs, pies, chowders, chili, and other varieties of meals. They didn’t serve alcohol there, but there was a vintage frappe making machine, and there was an old cigarette dispensing machine that didn’t work, according to Villeneuve, but had advertised for brands like Pall Mall’s.
One time, Villeneuve asked, “Hey Phil – how many eggs do you think you’ve cracked in your life?” and Phil responded by showing Scot a stainless steel bowl that was polished by a fork that was curved to the bottom of the bowl. Phil said he’d been using the fork and bowl for 30 years. Jim Ratta said, “There’s no one in the world that could make scrambled eggs as good as Phil.”
Phil and Chris were genuine, good, honest, hardworking people that went in at 4 AM to make donuts. Phil had two trays of donuts, and elderly patrons would get coffee and donuts, or bring the homemade donuts home to family members.
The plow truck drivers would stop there at 5 AM, and there was strong coffee and good meals at Phil’s.
Trust in Phil’s
Phil’s Restaurant was the type of place where you could leave money for a contractor the next time you went there if you didn’t have the money that day. Regulars at Phil’s, if they happened to be short on money, they’d use a service known as the “Wall of Shame”. It was a corkboard on the wall behind the cash register, where debts would be displayed, extended only to regulars. If you owed a debt to Phil’s, the regulars would harass you, in good fun, because you were on the “Wall of Shame”.
Phil also sponsored little league teams, that had their pictures on the walls. “We’re all faithful Philistines,” said Jim Ratta.
History Behind Phil’s
Phil Amazeen and his wife, Chris, ran the restaurant since it was incorporated after being established in 1976, but before Phil had Phil’s Restaurant, he was the chef at Young’s Restaurant in Durham. Before that he worked at a restaurant in Dover.
Phil’s was a single location, privately held business, located next to Knight’s Garage in Barrington, New Hampshire.
Phil’s was open 6 days a week before the car accident. Villeneuve said, “They were just good, down to Earth people – no drama, no false pretenses.”, and he said they once contemplated a slogan, “Phil’s Diner – Not for Sissies”.
Rosie was one of the waitresses that worked at Phil’s for a while. Another waitress was Alice, who was a tattooed lady who did a great job, according to Jim Ratta. Chris Amazeen, Phil’s wife, came in and ran the restaurant with him around the year 2000.
Phil is approaching 80 years old – he had two daughters and a son with Chris, to which many grandchildren were also born. They live in Nottingham, New Hampshire.
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DURHAM, N.H.—An estimated 2.5 million children under the age of four are being raised by young adult parents (age 18-24), with significant concentrations of these families in the South and Southwest, according to new research by the Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire. While fewer than 5 percent of children live with young adult parents, 16 percent of children age 0-3 and 25 percent of low-income children age 0-3 do.
Low-income young adult parents have different characteristics than their older counterparts, more often parenting their first child with no co-parent present and still enrolled in school.
“These characteristics can add up to a lack of resources for children during a key period of child development and barriers for these parents who are in a critical period for shaping their own educational and employment trajectories,” said Jess Carson, research assistant professor with the Carsey School’s Vulnerable Families Research Program. “While supportive policies exist, most could be strengthened to better support young adult families, including stronger income supports such as refundable tax credits, more affordable education for parents via Pell grants, and stronger childcare systems.
The Carsey School of Public Policy conducts research, leadership development, and engaged scholarship relevant to public policy. They address pressing challenges, striving for innovative, responsive, and equitable solutions at all levels of government and in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors.
The University of New Hampshire inspires innovation and transforms lives in our state, nation, and world. More than 16,000 students from all 50 states and 71 countries engage with an award-winning faculty in top-ranked programs in business, engineering, law, health and human services, liberal arts and the sciences across more than 200 programs of study. As one of the nation’s highest-performing research universities, UNH partners with NASA, NOAA, NSF and NIH, and receives more than $110 million in competitive external funding every year to further explore and define the frontiers of land, sea, and space.
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