June 15, 1997

      A t early Tercentennial Commission meetings the subject of a Tercentennial logo was discussed, and a few members on the commission were of the opinion that only a professional could be trusted with the job of designing the official logo for the Town's 300th Anniversary.

      Some committee members felt that the logo should be put out to bid, while others proposed a contest with several professional designers invited to compete.

      When the talk turned to who would and wouldn't be allowed to submit designs, Framingham residents who were attending the meeting asked to speak, and made several good points in favor of allowing anyone to participate in order to make the contest as inclusive an event as possible.   The residents speaking noted that there's a great deal of talent in the Framingham schools --- and that including students as well as professionals and amatuer artists would provide the best selection of designs to choose from.

      In the end it was decided that the Logo Contest would award three prizes, one to the best professional designer, one to the best non-professional, and a Grand Prize for the best overall design --- the one that would become the official logo of the Framingham Tercentennial!

Richard Thorne, (left), a 15 year old student at Marian High School is shown holding his design which was the grand prize winner in the Framingham Tercentenial Logo Contest.   The $500.00 grand prize was awarded to Thorne by Tercentennial Commission Chairman (and Town Clerk) George King, (right), at the Framingham Community Supper held May 30th, 1997 in the newly restored Nevins Hall in the Memorial building.

      The design shows the State Normal School, (now called Framingham State College), atop a golden triangle encircled by the words "Town of Framingham - Tercentennial", a Red, White & Blue banner accross the design reads "1700 - 300 - 2000", and the wording "Danforth's Farm" appears on the top section the golden triangle.  

      In speaking with Framingham Town Historian Stephen W. Herring regarding a newspaper article published by the Middlesex News about Thorne's Tercentenial design, our suspicion was confirmed that there is a small amount of confussion surrounding both the Tercentennial logo, and the current Town of Framingham Seal which was designed for the town's Bicentennial in 1900.

      Middlesex News staff writer Chris Bergeron incorrectly described the Tercentennial logo, saying, "...Thorne's design includes a copy of the town seal, a picture of historic Danforth Farm and a red, white and blue ribbon scrolling accross it".   Bergeron had fallen for the same misconception as many others have in the 97 years since the current seal was created.

      On the current Town Seal, the words Danforth's Farm reference the fact that Framingham was originally known as Danforth's Farms, named for Thomas Danforth who owned the land before the town was incorporated.   The words also appear on the Tercentennial Logo.   In both designs, the words are situated directly beneath an image of the State Normal School, (May Hall), building.

      Herring commented that many school children picture the rounded brick towers of May Hall as silos, and draw scenes with animals, and fences thinking it is "Danforth's Farm"... a farm.  He hopes that when (or if) the current official town seal is replaced or redesigned that this common misunderstanding will somehow be corrected.