By Gretchen Webster

WESTPORT — Many towns in New England claim, “George Washington slept here.” Whether Westport can make that claim or not, Westporters can be certain the Bible used at the inauguration of the nation’s first president has visited Westport.

On Saturday, the 257-year-old George Washington Inaugural Bible was proudly displayed for the community by the men of Westport’s Masonic Lodge, Temple No. 65, to mark the lodge’s 200th anniversary.

The Westport Masonic Lodge was chartered on May 12, 1824, before the town of Westport itself was incorporated, and is one of the oldest organizations in town, according to Richard Ruggiano, worshipful master of the Westport temple.

The hands of four U.S. presidents have rested on the Bible during their inauguration, who in addition to Washington, include Warren G. Harding, Dwight Eisenhower and Jimmy Carter. George W. Bush also would have been sworn in using the Bible, but because it was raining the priceless Bible couldn’t be exposed to the weather, Ruggiano said.

The Bible was also present at the funerals for Washington and Abraham Lincoln, and at ceremonies to lay the cornerstone for both the U.S. Capitol building and the Washington Monument, he said.

“We should be sharing this with our community,” Ruggiano said of the Bible, which is owned by Masonic Lodge St. John’s No. 1 A.Y.M. (Ancient York Masons) in New York. “It has never been shone in Connecticut.”

The Bible’s public display Saturday drew Westport residents, members of nearby Masonic lodges and even “Benjamin Franklin,” a.k.a. Westport lodge member Chris Jennings, who portrayed Franklin. The real Franklin was a friend of Washington’s Jennings said in a presentation to visitors.

In his presentation, Jennings recounted the history preceding Washington’s inauguration, from the perspective of Franklin. He referred to Washington as “a young Virginia militia colonel,” 20 years before he became leader of a new nation.

Washington did not sign the Declaration of Independence because he was in New York state with his troops, according to Jennings, and was one of the nation’s founding fathers who believed it was important for the national legislature to have two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Washington’s inauguration as the first president of the United States took place in 1789 at Federal Hall in New York City, according to information from St. John’s lodge. It lay open on a crimson velvet cushion when the oath of office was administered to Washington by the first secretary of the U.S. Senate, Samuel Otis. Among those present were the nation’s first vice president, John Adams; the first chief justice of the Supreme Court, John Jay; the first secretary of war, Henry Knox, and the first governor of New York, George Clinton.

Many of the nation’s founders were Masons, Ruggiano said, including Washington himself, his generals and many of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence.

On Saturday, the Inaugural Bible made the trip from Manhattan accompanied by four members of St. John’s lodge, who donned white gloves and flanked the Bible as it was displayed in the local lodge to ensure its safety.

“We hire a conservation organization to take care of it,” said Andreas Vavaroutsos, a member of the New York lodge and part of the group that transported the Bible. The men drove the Bible to the Westport lodge at 210 Post Road East, and planned to drive it back to New York on Saturday evening.

It took Ruggiano many years to arrange for the Bible to be displayed in conjunction with the Westport lodge’s bicentennial, he said. But with arrangements complete and the Bible at the center of attention on a special day for the Westport lodge, he said, “We feel graced and blessed.”

Freelance writer Gretchen Webster, a Fairfield County journalist for many years, was editor of the Fairfield Minuteman and has taught journalism at New York and Southern Connecticut State universities.

DeMatha’s Chase Lopez has plenty of confidence when he’s within 25 meters of the lead entering the final lap. So when he fell just short of a comeback Friday, he and his coaches were surprised. But Lopez adjusted, notching come-from-behind wins — and setting meet records — in the 800 and 1,600 meters Saturday.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBS) — Students danced the night away at the Durand School prom on Friday night.

“We have been talking about this event for weeks now,” Durand School Principal Jennifer Amoroso said.

The special night at The Supper Club in Washington Township was filled with sparkles and snazzy suits.

“We have quite a few dancers in here. We love to dance at Durand,” Amoroso said.

One of them was Hayden Rossi, who said a 90s boy band inspired his look for the night.

“I look like the one from the Backstreet Boys, ‘I Want It That Way,’” Rossi said.

Durand serves students with autism, learning and developmental disabilities. The students who attended the prom also got a full day of glam.

“We had haircuts. We had updos and then the students get to dress up and have that neurotypical event that they’re not used to having,” Amoroso said.

DJ Nick also had the whole room dancing and when it comes to song choice, he said he reads the room.

“Depends on the crowd,” DJ Nick said.

Elizabeth Utvik said there’s nothing like watching her daughter smile.

“It is like nothing that you can honestly imagine. Not only that she gets to have a prom, but also that I get to be here,” Utvik said.

“She got an updo in school, which she promptly took right out obviously. And the group home that my daughter lives in, they decorated it like you wouldn’t believe. They had a limo because they wanted a full prom experience,” Utvik said. 

While the students danced the night away, it was also a night to remember for their families, teachers and staffers.

“It’s a whole family experience and they get to come out and they get to dance, they get to have amazing food and they get to have the best night ever. And look at the way they’re all dressed, they are having the best night of their lives,” said Rae Pastore, director of marketing and development.

Durand said this is their second prom and since it was such a success, they are planning to have it year after year.