Newport Hospital may be closing its maternity wing

1977

CLAREMONT

They were all hot trotting at the Polish American Citizens’ Club Saturday night. Wearing slick suits to wrinkled work clothes, more than 100 people gathered for “A Warm Salute to the Polish American Hero: General Casimir Pulaski.” Pulaski may have brought them there, but fast flowing spirits and a heart-snatching band probably induced them to stay.

The City Council is ready to go along with a tax break for the $2.5 million senior citizens housing project on Maple Avenue. But questions remain over what type of tax break is legal, who will ultimately grant that break, and who ends up owning the project once the 40-year mortgage is paid off.

New England Civil Defense officials are developing an elaborate plan to transform the Sullivan County Home into a sanctuary for 1,200 southern New Hampshire and Massachusetts residents if the nation is ever threatened by nuclear attack.” Those figures are crazy,” said Omer Ahern, county home administrator “I don’t know where we could put 1,200 people, they would burst us at the seams.”

Preserving old mills and homes and fixing up downtown may be easier now in Claremont. City officials and citizen groups will be heading in the same direction. The Claremont Planning Board Monday night changed the city’s master plan to include the so-called city center revitalization. “Our industrial heritage can be a blight or a resource,” said City Manager Jerry Maxwell.

Photo caption—During a break in the action at Tuesday’s Stevens High-Hanover High soccer game, these girls hammed it up for the camera along the sidelines. The Stevens High soccer cheerleaders are Jean Chaisson, Sue Magnuson, Kim Yurek, Carol Davis, Sarah Michaud, Cheryl Clough, Mary Gearey, Laura Clark and Jackie Ferguson.

The Joy Manufacturing Company, which previously leased its 57-acre site on River Road, announced Tuesday it has purchased the Claremont facility. Joy purchased the Sullivan Machinery Company in Claremont in 1945. Located on a four-acre site on Main Street, the Company operated from this facility until 1964, when the buildings were declared structurally inadequate. This led to the decision to relocate and build a new plant on River Road.

Athletic Director Charles Burch thinks track coaches will be hired and the sports will not be canceled. But it will be more difficult to work with coaches from outside the system than with teacher coaches, Burch said. “We’re looking for qualified people,” Burch said. “There’s a lot to know in track. There are so many events—a track coach has to be quite knowledgeable about all of them.

Workmen today broke soggy ground to lay the foundation of the new $1 million Police Court Facility located on Tremont Street next to the present police station. The new building is part of a three-phase project, including the rehabilitation of City Hall and the Opera House in the upper floor of that building and also the conversion of the present police station into administrative offices. The total cost of the project is $1.562 million.

 

NEWPORT

Last week a seven-man crew began to work on the abandoned Nettleton House adjacent to the town’s Courthouse Square. “The building has a lot of historical significance,” said Steven Scully, project director, “and we’d like to restore it to exactly like it was when it was built more than 130 years ago.”

Sixty-seven donors responded to the call for the Oct. 14 American Red Cross bloodmobile drawing at the Moose Home. Multiple donors were William Newell who completed his fourth gallon; Arlene Fortune who completed her third gallon; Lawrence Gobin who completed his second gallon and James Ballou and Thomas Soujanen who became one-gallon donors.

The Newport Hospital Board of Trustees has scheduled a public meeting to discuss possible closing on the hospital’s maternity wing. Elected to the board of trustees were Jonathan Howard and Anthony Kulesza. Mary Jasper was elected to the board of incorporators. New officers of the trustees’ board include Chairman Peter Lovely, vice chairman J. Thompson Ruger, Secretary Cleon Johnson, and Treasurer Neil Buffet.

The Zoning Board of Adjustment has unanimously denied Sandell Development Corp. permission to build the Maj. Samuel H. Edes Housing Project for the Elderly but Sandell’s attorneys have requested a rehearing. Meanwhile, demolition of the historic Edes house at North Main Street and Belknap Avenue has begun.

Newport Hospital ended its 1976-77 fiscal year with a surplus, incorporators of the hospital learned at their annual meeting Monday night. The hospital had a gain of $12,900 for the year after it had paid $49,000 in loans for operating expenses. It cost $969,952 to run the hospital for the 12-month period.

Three special police officers have been appointed to the Newport Police Dept. to complement the town’s regular force, Chief Floyd S. Potter Jr. said last week. They are Robert Miles Billings, 36; Robert B. Daignault Sr., 33, and David B. Burnham, 25.

St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church will mark its 75th anniversary with an Oct. 23 observance. The Most Rev. Odore Gendron, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Manchester, will concelebrate the Holy Mass with the Rev. Robert Carty, pastor, and the Very Rev. Hector Lamontagne, pastor of St. Mary’s Church, Claremont. Priests who have received invitations for Oct. 23 include the Rev. Joseph Shields, the Rev. Thomas Donnelly, the Rev. Thomas Savage, the Rev. Frederick Sweeney, the Rev. Dennis O’Leary, the Rev. John Sullivan, the Rev. Stanley Skora, the Rev. John Bryson, the Rev. Joseph Beaulieu, the Rev. Warren Regan, the Rev. Robert Densmore, the Rev. Anselm Morrison and the Rev. Rene Constant.

If the selectmen’s meetings are any indication, Newport may soon abandon its landfill in favor of an incinerator. For the second time in a month, the selectmen heard a representative from the incineration industry assure them that an incinerator would solve the town’s waste disposal problems.

SUNAPEE

Michael Abbott accepted the position of Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 40 at the Oct. 19 committee meeting. He is a former Boy Scout.

Sunapee officials have decided to replace the town dump with a transfer station where some waste will be collected for recycling and other waste will be transported to a landfill, Selectman Ernest Cutting said this week.

SPRINGFIELD

Six teenagers completed the Hunter Safety course sponsored by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department and the Springfield Volunteer Fire Department. They are Brian F. Patten, Brent M. Charles, Lisa M. Hafault, Mason A. Wheeler, Barney W. Abair and Lisa A. Wheeler. Tom Duling was the instructor.

Several members of the Springfield Volunteer Fire Department attended Saturday or Sunday sessions of a fire school of the Twin River Fire Training School program Oct. 15 and 16 at Franklin. Those who went were Frank Anderson, assistant chief; Edgar Broadhead, captain; Charles Klein, engineer and Steve Berkley and Steele Davis, firefighters.

GRANTHAM

Mr. and Mrs. Donald Ballantyne, Mr. and Mrs. Sumner Libbey and Mr. and Mrs. Horace Miller, Eastman, attended the Oct. 22 Dartmouth-Cornell game at Hanover.

Airman and Mrs. Gloyd Baker and children, Shane, Shawna and Sarah, have arrived in Honolulu, Hawaii, where Mr. Baker is on a tour of duty. Mrs. Baker is the former Linda Paynotta.

CROYDON

The Good Neighbor Club conducted an open house Oct. 19 at the Croydon Town Hall. Guests who attended were Lois Aiken, Nancy Blanchard, Phyllis Katz, Mernie Lemay and Brenda Winter.

Mrs. Donal Ballou, Waynesboro, Pa. And her daughter and grandson, Mrs. Ronald Odom and Gregory Brian Odom, Columbus, Ohio, have been visiting Mrs. Ballou’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Gross. Donal Ballou flew into the West Lebanon airport over the weekend to join his family and return with them on Monday.

CORNISH

Ruth Rollins, South Cornish, received the Silver Beaver Award Saturday at the 48th recognition dinner of the Daniel Webster Council Scouters at Rundlett Junior High School in Concord. Rollins and her husband were recipients of the non-member Grange Community Citizen Award for service to their community and mankind June 25.

1962

CLAREMONT

Class officer s selected at Stevens High School included seniors Brian Lizotte, president; Martha Miner, vice president; Lynda Scott, secretary, and Frances Chabot, treasurer; juniors, Stephen Borofsky, president; Gary Sinowski, vice president; Donna Diamond, secretary, and Susan Chabot, treasurer; sophomores, Judith Blight, president; Matthew Ferriter, vice president; Pamela White, secretary, and Edith Parker, treasurer; freshmen, Michael Feeney, president; Marsha Cohen, vice president; Deborah Estabrook secretary, and Susan Powers treasurer.

District Deputy Grand Master Cedric Herrick and his staff installed Harold J. Crouse as noble grand at the last meeting of Sullivan Lodge 12 at the IOOF Hall. Other officers installed were Lewis Hall, Harry Roberts, Leslie Currier, Richard Prescott, Ernest Sanborn, Albert Rogers, Howard Pierce, Leroy Lafayette, Ervin Mann, James MacBain, Lytle Monblo, Erald Sanders. Charles Egbert, LeRoy A. Webster Leonard Seaver, and Dean MacConnell.

Photo caption—Raymond P. Keating of Claremont has been commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force upon graduation from Officer Training School at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. The son of Mr. and Mrs. T. Winston Keating of 271 Mulberry St., Claremont, the lieutenant is a graduate of Boston University.

Loui F. Bonaccorsi was elected president of the Claremont Kiwanis Club at a meeting Thursday evening in King’s Arrow Inn. Others voted into office were Frank D’Amante, first vice president; Jack Jennings, second vice president; Francis Cleary, treasurer; Edward Bosley, John Harlan and Charles Michalenoick, directors for one year, and Joseph Esersky Philip Estabrook, David Johnson and Forrest Putnam, directors for two years. Bonaccorsi appointed Roland Morrow as secretary.

Membership in a national student honor society has been accorded Claremont resident Thomas D. Thibault, a junior at Providence College, Providence, R.I., for outstanding work while in college. Thibault, a chemistry honors major at Providence, is a 1960 graduate of St. Mary High School in Claremont. His parents are Mr. and Mrs. Delor Thibault of Bible Hill.

New pledgees to Beta Chapter Beta Sigma Phi Sorority are Mrs. Albert Leahy Jr., Mrs. Neil Hastings, Mrs. John Goodrich, Mrs. Stanley Fitch, Mrs. Arthur Brown, Mrs. Joseph Healy, and Mrs. David Bell. They received their pins during the Pledge Ritual held Wednesday evening at Martha Ann’s Revere Room following the Pledge Banquet.

A skunk, several birds, snakes, squirrels, butterflies and a large tuffed owl are among preserved specimens of wildlife willed to the Claremont School District by the late Leslie Hunt. The collection, which represents many forms of animal bird and reptile life, will circulate for display at all Claremont schools. Hunt had been employed for several years as a part-time custodian at the Goodwin Community Center. According to Recreation Supervisor Anthony Zotto, his interest in youth was deep and the bequest to the School District is an indication of this interest.

Mrs. James Cleveland of New London, wife of the Republican candidate for Congress from the Second District, was the speaker at the Monday night meeting of the Claremont Federated Women’s Republican Club held in the party headquarters on Tremont Square. Hostesses for the meeting were Mrs. Pansy Penniman and Mrs. John M. Johnson.

Court Virgil Barber, Catholic Daughters of America, held a Halloween party at the Knights of Columbus Hall Monday evening with members attending in costume. Prizes were awarded to Mrs. Katherine Loughney, prettiest costume; Mrs. Rachel Walker, most original, and Mrs. Elizabeth Dodge, the funniest. Judges were Mrs. Kathleen Dansereau, Mrs. Agnes Stone and Mrs. Anna Cann.

Members of the Stevens chapter of the National Honor Society elected Theodore Davis president; Judith Stahl, vice president; Sally Little secretary, and Martha Miner, treasurer. Officers of the Claremont Camera Club, a high school group, are Lloyd Mann, president; Judith Blight, vice president; Robert Meador, secretary, and William Bawden, treasurer. Members of the Stevens Junior Librarians chose Lynda Scott president, and Judith Blewitt, secretary-treasurer.

The Companions of the Forest of America meeting Wednesday evening at the K of C Hall, nominated the following officers for the ensuing year: Mrs. Emily Marcotte, Mrs. Doris Wolcott, Mrs. Helen Boisvert, Mrs. Annie Stinton, Mrs. Gertrude Smith, Mrs. Elizabeth Bell, Mrs. Alice Cleary, Mrs. Juilette Doucet, Mrs. Yvonne Castonguay, Mrs. Frances Gagne, Mrs. Minnie Decker, Mrs. Mary Collins, and Mrs. Nellie Charron. Mrs. Pearl Mason is past chief companion.

Advertisement—In Newport, eight-room home recently redecorated, bath, excellent water supply, attached barn, large corner lot, owner will sacrifice for $3,450. A Country Store with living quarters, doing excellent business, to be sold with all equipment, stock and real estate, $16,500. Hurlbut Real Estate Agency, 6 Main St., Tel. 28, Newport, N.H.

About 30 persons, representing 15 organizations, gathered at Claremont’s city hall last night to launch a Cleaner Claremont Campaign. They met at the invitation of Mrs. Vernard Gardner of the Claremont Women’s Garden Club who last year presented a prospectus for such a program, which won a Sears Roebuck grant of $100 for the project through the State Federation of Garden Clubs.

NEWPORT

Mrs. Louise R. Rollins, Newport library trustee, was among six individuals and groups honored for outstanding work in Concord today by the New Hampshire Library Trustees Association at its annual meeting. Mrs. Rollins was honored both for her many years of service as a trustee and for her gift this year of her spacious mansion for a library building. The present Richards Free Library, now outgrown, was given the town by her grandfather in the 1880s. Mrs. Rollins has also given a sizable trust fund to provide maintenance to the new building.

Photo caption—Wild Bill Hickcock makes good yardage in a football game among the leaves on Newport Common. Ball carrier in fringed jacket is Scott Lucas, 5. Other helmet hides features of Patrick Patten, 10, who is being detained by Thomas Teague, 7, while Scott’s brother, Jay, sprawls in the rear.

Among awards made at a meeting of the Newport Cub Scout Pack, included Den 1, Donald Dupont and John Catsam, wolf badges; Skip Rollins, gold arrow and two silver arrows to wolf badge and Gary Bagley, bear badge; Den 2, Michel Grantham, lion badge; Michael Pitts, gold arrow to wolf badge; Alan Soucy, gold and silver arrows to bear badge and James Peirce and Gary Nichols, denner stripes; Den 3, Keith Gardner, gold arrow to wolf badge; Ed Narus, silver arrow to wolf; Leonard Brown, one-year wolf; Leonard Brown, one-year pin; Kevin Onnela and Robert Woodard, two-year pins; Den 4, John Gardner, bear badge and Charles Catsam and John Wallace, two-year pins; Den 6, Harry Sanborn, William Budnitz, John Schweitzer, Tim GaNun and Richard Roy, wolf badges; GaNun, gold arrow and two silver arrows; Budnitz, assistant denner badge and Schweitzer, denner stripes.

Jon Mills has been selected for enrollment in the advanced history program at the University of New Hampshire, Durham, where he is majoring in history and government. He was graduated from Towle High School in June and is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Mills, Claremont Hill.

Fleet Ray Currier of Newport celebrated his election as captain of the University of New Hampshire freshman cross-country team by setting a new course record in Andover Saturday. Two days after his teammates voted him their 1962 leader, Currier covered the Phillips-Andover course in 13:02 while leading his team to a 25-32 win over the prep school.

The Towle High School Yearbook has signed a contract with the Portland Lithograph Company, Portland, Maine, to print the book for a cost of at least $1,400. The exact cost cannot be determined until all the advertising is scheduled. Candy Aiken and Dede Dane, literary editors, have distributed “Senior Personal Sheets.” Information submitted on them will be used under the pictures of the seniors.

Mrs. A. Dorothy Cummings has sold her home creamery and 100 acres of land on Route 10 to United Construction Corp. Leland Whipple is president of the firm. The property, which included one of the most up-to-date creameries in this area when it was opened in 1938, included several farm buildings and a well said to have the capacity to supply 50 homes. A portion of the land has been taken by the state for the reconstruction of Route 10.

CROYDON

Andy Pellerin and Michelle Pellerin attended a birthday party Oct. 6 in honor of Julie Williams, New London.

Recent weekend visitors in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Bridgeo were Mr. and Mrs. Harold Bruce, Middlesex, Vt. Mrs. Bruce is Mr. Bridgeo’s sister.

CORNISH FLAT

At the regular meeting of Park Grange on Oct.9, the following officers were elected: May Stone, Jesse Stone, Laura Woodward, Ray Stone, Kermit Barton, Cora Peterson, Ellsworth Atwood, Kathy Woodward, Raymond Hull, Marion Stone and Pat Abbott.

SUNAPEE

Religious instruction classes began in St. Joachim’s chapel last Sunday for all grades after the 9:30 a.m. Mass. Instructors are Mrs. Farrell Quinlan, Mrs. Ernest Cutting, Mrs. Jarlath Slattery and Farrell Quinlan.

Mrs. Alfred Huff and her son, Michael, 11, were lucky bird hunters last week, each bagging a pheasant.

GRANTHAM

Mrs. Carol Sturgis and Mrs. Cally Gordon have returned from a two-week trip through the Midwest and parts of Canada.

Miss Carol Jean Follensbee and Mr. and Mrs. Henry Chandler, Claremont, were recent visitors of Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Small.

WASHINGTON

Mr. and Mrs. Earl Cilley and sons, Carol and Robert, with Miss Ethel Goodwin were in New York City over the weekend. Miss Goodwin remained there for a week’s visit.

1947

CLAREMONT

On Saturday, Oct. 18, the men of the Methodist Church will conduct their semi-annual paper drive throughout the entire town. The drive is under the chairmanship of Norman Fletcher assisted by Ray Lehner, Merton A. Fletcher, Raymond Fitch, Leon Stone, Charles Little, Daniel Dudley, Roy Parmelee, Jasper Pederson, Albert Couture, Nicholas Baker, Herman Van Houten and Joseph Frye. Trucks for the drive have been furnished by the Newport Woodworking Company, Ideal Laundry, Raymond Fitch Contracting Company, Joy Manufacturing Company, Coca-Cola Bottling Company and Haubrich Farm.

Twenty prospective jurors for a first-degree murder trial in Sullivan County Superior Court were drawn by selectmen this morning. They are Herman H. Rice, Earl T. Chase, Harold P. Jagdes, Milton C. Kling, Arthur L. Fitch, Briscoe P. Spencer, Robert H. Lewis, Richard C. Dawson, Clayton W. Stevens, Robert E. Staff, Antonio J. Perras, Dominic Boccia, Abraham Heller, William R. Stringer Sr., Elvin T. Colby, Tracy C. Hart, Joseph L. Collett, Earl Esey, Arthur E. Howe and Ernest E. White.

A successful public penny sale conducted by Mrs. Louise Bentley, Mooseheart chairman, followed the business session of the Women of the Moose last evening in Moose Hall. Assisting were Mrs. Phoebe DeVoyd, Mrs. Marie Bonneau Mrs. Doris Nerard, Mrs. Philemena Marro, Miss Lillian Unwin, Mrs. Lenna Fecteau, Miss Florence Zerba, Miss Celia Brody and Miss Anne Zombeck.

Advertisement—1941 Cadillac Convertible Club Coupe; this car is in like new condition in every respect, complete equipment including radio, heater, fog lights and spotlight, $2,345, Irwin Motors, Washington Street Claremont.

Proposed plans announced by the Legion of Guardsmen Auxiliary for a community Halloween party were canceled last evening following a report by Mrs. Hilda Sargent of the lack of support from other organizations.

The Cowles Bible Class of the Baptist Sunday School held its annual meeting at the home of Mrs. Inze Gove, 130 Pleasant St., Saturday afternoon. The officer s elected for the ensuing year were Mrs. R.J. McConnell, president; Mrs. Gove, vice president; Mrs. Marta Crandall, secretary and Mrs. John Hayward, treasurer.

Girl Scout Troop 5 met at the Goodwin Community Center Friday afternoon with Mrs. Stanley Blodgett and Mrs. Ann Hanksas leaders. Barbara Hamlin, president, who is leaving town, was presented with a Girl Scout bracelet and an autograph book. Jane Hurd was elected as he successor and Alene Blodgett was named vice president.

NEWPORT

Members of Holt Farmer Post VFW Auxiliary will welcome their department commander and auxiliary president to the Veteran’s Home on Nov. 14. The committee named for the visitation includes Mrs. Madlon Karr, Mrs. Bernice Thibodeau, Mrs. Hazel Weeks, Mrs. Helen McGowan, Mrs. Birdie Howe and, Mrs. Mary Farmer, Mrs. Elmira Delangis, Mrs. Blanche Marrows, Mrs. Dorothy Lava, Mrs. Choice Macomber, Mrs. Edna Eggleston, Mrs. Mae Gobin and Mrs. Anna Glynn.

An appeal to Newport residents to used water sparingly during the current drought was issued today by the board of water commissioners composed of Homer Sibley, John J Condon and Arthur Winter. At the same time Frank Cam, superintendent of the water department, requested fames and cattle owners whose water supply has dwindled or disappeared entirely to contact his department in an effort to bring them some relief.

Frank S. Martin and Jack Richardson returned from a fishing trip to the Second Connecticut Lake and reported fine catches. Later, they went on a five-day sightseeing tour to Quebec, the shrine of St. Anne deBeaupre and Montmorency Falls.

Mr. and Mrs. John Durgin, who conducted horse pulling contests on their North Newport farm Sunday, attended a similar affair at Bethel, Vt., last Sunday with Mr. Durgin entering a team in the 2000-pound class to annex second honors.

Morris F. Wright, gunner’s mate second class, son of Mr. and Mrs. P.J. Wright of 131 South Main St., Newport, was serving aboard the destroyer USS James C. Owens, when the ship assisted the destroyer USS Douglas H Fox after it was hit by a mine in the northern Adriatic en route to Trieste from Venice on Sept. 29.

More than 59 members of the Newport Teachers Association and their guests were in attendance last night at the Newport House where the organization held its annual fall meeting and banquet. Following the dinner, an entertainment program as presented with the Rev. Maurice Porter accompanied by Mrs. Robert Gould singing solos. Gwendolyn Defender displayed her dancing talent and a piano-accordion duet was given by Mr. and Mrs. Gould.

MERIDEN

Clayton B. Spaulding of Acworth visited his two granddaughters, Betty and Jean Spaulding, last week. The girls make their home with Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Bean.

GOSHEN

Paul LeClair has purchased a new diesel power shovel.

Clyde Childs is working in the rubber shop in Windsor, Vt.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Sullivan are driving a new car.

UNITY CENTER

Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Chase of Manchester visited their son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Fellows and family in Unity Cener this past weekend.

We welcome Mr. and Mrs. John Cross and family of Claremont to Unity Center. They have bought the former chapel in the center and are repairing and remodeling it prior o moving in.

GEORGES MILLS

Miss Leona Ruggles of Plymouth Teachers College in Plymouth is spending a few days with her parents Mr. and Mrs. Elmer E. Ruggles.

Mr. and Mrs. George F. Slade were the dinner guests of Mr. and Mrs. John Sargent and family on Saturday.

SPRINGFIELD

Mr. and Mrs. John A. George entertained 25 guests at a husking bee last Saturday evening. After the corn was husked, the hosts served a bountiful repast of baked beans, hot dogs, pies, cake and coffee.

CHARLESTOWN

There are 11 members in the school orchestra. Officers are Harry Nelson, president; William Ritchie, treasurer, and Catherine Campbell, librarian. President of the band is William Horton; Sally Nilson is treasurer and Ritchie is librarian. There are 35 members.