Past Times

Mount Sunapee was fighting a snowless winter back in 1949

1980

CLAREMONT

Newly-returned from three months of study in Rome, the Rev. Hector LaMontagne is visibly impressed by the warmth and awareness of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy today. “It isn’t a bureaucracy without a heart, but just the opposite,” he said. “It offers easy accessibility and the men are not hard-core bureaucrats, but well aware of the world’s sufferings. They hope in a warm, touching way, to help the world.” He illustrates the new openness with an anecdote. “I thought it was difficult to meet the cardinals but it isn’t. Several years ago, in the early sixties, I took one of the Apostolic Delegates fishing in Penacook. I thought I’d like to see him and I asked how to get in touch with him. I was handed a telephone.”

Claremont Fire Chief William H. “Skip” Sullivan has received a call from a community which is looking for a fire chief but he declined Saturday to name the town. Sullivan said he has not seriously considered the offer as yet but emphasized that any future decision will be based strictly on his personal financial situation.

At the January meeting of Colonel Samuel Ashley Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, the following members were elected to attend the 89th Continental Congress in Washington April 13-19: Regent Mrs. John LaPanne; Delegate Mrs. Louis Smith; alternates, Marion Kittredge, Mrs. Gordon Bartlett, Mrs. Paul Craig and Mrs. Laurence Folsom.

Photo Caption—The Claremont Lioness Club entertained the District Governor of the Lions Club on his annual visitation Tuesday night at the Pleasant Restaurant. From left, Ann Currier, secretary; Carol McKenzie, first vice president; Phyllis Montefusco, president; District Governor William Hayes, Enfield, and Yvette Hanks, treasurer.

NEWPORT

The Newport Budget Committee wants to hear what the public thinks now of limiting budget increases to 5 percent since inflation has risen to more than 13 percent compared to the 7 percent inflation rate in 1979 when the town meeting voted the restriction. Frank A. MacConnell Jr., a member of the budget committee and former chairman of the Newport School Board, told his colleagues on Jan. 8 that he doesn’t know what the public thinks of the 5 percent restriction now that the inflation rate has nearly doubled since it was imposed.

Only one first-grader has been excluded from school in the Newport district because he has not been immunized, according to Supt. of Schools Gordon B. Flint. In an effort to assure that all pupils are immunized, the school administration is demanding that first graders be immunized before entering school and that all transfer students comply within 30 days as required by state law.

Photo Caption—Student Council officers at Newport Junior High School with their faculty advisor, Calista Thurlow, are from left, Roni Partlow, president; Janice O’Sullivan, vice president; Tonya Mackay, secretary and Melissa Morrow, treasurer.

Mr. and Mrs. Phillip (Robin Connor) Sedberry, Fort Myers, Fla., have returned home after spending the Christmas holidays with Mrs. Sedberry’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Armand Connor, Shannon Court. Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Connor, Rowley, Mass., also joined the Connors for the holiday.

NEWBURY

A chart in the office of Mount Sunapee State Park manager William Ulinski lists the ski area’s opening days for every day since 1949 when the park opened. There are several opening more than a week into January but in only one year, the first one in 1949, has the opening been delayed longer than it now has this winter. The ski area opened on Jan. 22 that year and that was for a lack of snow rather than the new park not being ready. “I really feel for the 80 some people who haven’t been on our payroll,” said Ulinski yesterday in his office, overlooking brown, grassy lower ski trails.

LEMPSTER

The Lempster Fire Department elected officers for 1980 at its January meeting Tuesday. Seventeen of the volunteer department’s members were present and elected. Philip Terrell fire chief for the third consecutive year. Other officers elected were Capt. Dana Pollard; 1st Lt. Terry McCullough; 2nd Lt., Ronald Clark; 3rd Lt. and treasurer Wesley Ash and 4th Lt. and secretary Robert Olds. The department also unanimously voted to institute a set of minimum requirements for members. It is hoped that the requirements will upgrade the firefighting skills of the individual members.

CHARLESTOWN

Steven Paul Balcom, son of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Balcom, Blueberry Hill Estates, has enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps for three years. He is a 1979 graduate of Fall Mountain Regional High School.

CROYDON

Although Croydon has to rebate some $60,000 which it overcharged the Blue Mountain Forest Association in taxes between 1972 and 1979, its 1979 tax rate set Jan. 11 by the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration, is lower than the tax rate of 1978. The 1979 tax rate is $19.40 per $1,000 of property valuation or $3.20 less than the 1978 rate of $22.60.

SPRINGFIELD

Recent guests of Mr. and Mrs. Howard, Georges Mills Road, were Gladys Forgette, Marlow, and Mrs. Bruce Carpentier and daughter, April, and Muriel Fuller, all of Georges Mills.

SUNAPEE

Michael G. Pratt, first class petty officer, and his daughter, Heather Pratt, Rota, Spain, were holiday guests of Mr. and Mrs. Howard Pratt, Lower Village, from Dec. 16 to Jan. 3. Christmas guests of Mr. and Mrs. Pratt included their son, Michael G. Pratt, granddaughter, Heather Pratt, their daughter, Susan Pratt, Ted Carlson, Laurel Carlson, Kimberly Carlson, Robin Carlson and friend, Gerry, Mr. and Mrs. Steven Gould and their sons, Jamie and Brady, Newport.

GRANTHAM

Charles Mansfield and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Mansfield, Dreshner, Pa., have returned home after spending a week at the Mansfield home on Route 10 South.

1965

CLAREMONT

Officers and directors were elected and two promotions were approved at the annual meeting of the Peoples National Bank on Tuesday. Promoted was Raymond E. Brodeur, former assistant cashier, who became assistant vice president, and Charles W. Haugsrud, manager of the time sales department, who became assistant cashier. Re-elected were Malcolm T. Hall as president and trust officer, Robert B. Buckley as vice president and Romas J. Bissonnette as cashier and assistant trust officer.

Photo Caption—Pay night is once a year for Claremont’s call firefighters, and takes place during the annual January meeting of the Claremont Firemen’s Association. Here, Engine 2 Company Captain Charles Bernard, left front, hands out paychecks to members of his group. Others are, from left, Charles Emond, Paul Vignault, Edward LaCasse, and Charles Fletcher. The other member of the company, Bruce Wilson, was not present.

Richard Mulcahey was named first aid chairman at the meeting of the Sullivan County American Red Cross Chapter Thursday night. Serving with him will be Fern Haselton, Anthony Zotto and William Roberts.

The Baptist Philathea Class held its annual meeting Jan. 4 with 20 members attending. The nominating committee submitted the following list of this year’s officers: president, Nettie Darling; vice president, Bernice Stuart; secretary, Ann Ransom, and treasurer, Kay Johnson.

NEWPORT

Mrs. Geraldine Rudenfelt, assistant director of music, has returned to her duties in the music department of Towle High School after a lengthy leave necessitated by injuries suffered in an automobile accident.

The Spirit of Towle will hold the first dance of the 1965 season when the staff of the paper sponsors a record hp Friday night in Wheeler Gym. Paul Merrigan is general chairman of the affair. Working with Paul will be Betty Cote, who is in charge of refreshments, and Andrea Miller who will supervise publicity.

Oliver M. Drown was elected chairman of the Municipal Budget Committee at an organizational meeting Monday night in the Citizens National Bank. Mrs. Ransom, Krauss was named clerk of the committee. She was appointed to the committee to succeed Richard Carlson, who resigned.

Mrs. Larry K. Eaton left Newport yesterday for Boston where she will enplane on a jet for London, England. She will stay with her family in England for the month of January.

Newport Lodge, Loyal Order of Moose, will observe is 52nd anniversary with ceremonies Saturday and Sunday in the Moose Home. A class enrollment for 10 new members will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday. The new members are Samuel Mucci, Richard Peirce, Kenneth Weed, Gordon Bell, Leo Kangas, Donald Morrow, John Cross, Roger Dane, Edward Radford and Robert Thyng.

SUNAPEE

Mr. and Mrs. Donald Fadden spent last Monday with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Dana Fadden, Piermont. The elder Faddens were celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary.

Mr. and Mrs., Robert Blodgett and their sons, Allen, Bob and Michael, Hamden, Conn., spent the New Year’s weekend with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Blodgett.

CORNISH CENTER

Mr. and Mrs. Norris Weld were host and hostess of the welcome to new neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Miller and Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Kingsley last Sunday afternoon.

LANGDON

Mr. and Mrs. Sydney H. Batchelder were recent guests of their daughter and family, Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Lawrence of Franklin.

CHARLESTOWN

The Junior High boys basketball team has been chosen and is as follows: 8th Grade, Perry Howard, Robert King, Phil Shaw, Gordon Gray, Gary Schuman, Greg Stone, Ricky Bascom, Paul Brodeur, Derick Auger, Paul Smith, Alan Merrill and Jon Reese; 7th Grade, Gordon Maxium, Jim Dickey, Jim Gardner, Patrick Bailey, John Kinney, Ken Westney, Peter Robbins, Gary King, Steve Neill, Rollin Paulette, Donald Pearce and George Greene.

CORNISH FLAT

The New Year’s eve sliding and skiing party was held in Cornish Flat, chaperoned by Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Stone, Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Hull, and Mr. and Mrs. Philip Reynolds.

WEST UNITY

Mr. and Mrs. Robert P. Strout of Plaistow and Mr. and Mrs. Russell Galpin of Hillsboro were visitors of their relatives recently, the Perley Strouts.

LEMPSTER

Lawrence Drew and friend, Miss Sheila Conners of Philadelphia, were with his parent, Mr. and ms. James Drew for Christmas.

SPRINGFIELD

Mrs. Emma Elliott visited Mrs. Beatrice Colby in Wendell several days last week.

GRANTHAM

Improved capacity to serve telephone subscribers in Grantham and Croydon is expected to result from a project that will be commenced by the New England Telephone and Telegraph Company in March, Frank Amadon, Claremont manager said this week. The project will replace open wires with about 21,000 feet of buried or aerial cable. The existing wire routes serving Grantham and Croydon sections of the Newport exchange are working at near capacity and the cable is required to provide additional growth circuits, Amadon explained.

1950

CLAREMONT

Mrs. Edith Hall of 217 Pleasant St., left for Burlington, Vt., Saturday. She will conduct classes in Early American Decoration in Burlington and Middlebury, Vt., the remainder of the winter. Her studio will be closed for that time.

John Dell Isola, head line coach at Dartmouth College, will be guest speaker at a stag party sponsored by Lodge 1201, Loyal Order of Moose, in Moose Hall Jan. 19. Mr. Dell Isola will show movies of some of last year’s Big Green games.

Mr. and Ms. Willard Rollins will be guests at a regular meeting of the Kupples Klub in Trinity Parish House tomorrow night.

The Junctioneer Skating Club received another invitation to add to its list of out-of-town engagements, bringing the total to five, club officials announced today. It is expected that the Junctioneers will skate Feb. 25 at the Jaffrey Carnival.

The Junior Auxiliary of the Ancient Order of Hibernians elected offices at a meeting Tuesday afternoon in Moose Hall. The elections follow: President, Mary McLaughlin; vice president, Joan Murphy; recording secretary. Frances Hart; treasurer, Betty Leahy; financial secretary, Judy Barton; chairlady of standing committee, Martha Stacy; mistress at arms, Carole Stacy; chairlady of Irish history, Alice O’Haire; sentinel, Andrienne Goggin.

Rep. William P. Baron was elected chairman of he Democratic City Committee at a reorganization meeting of the local party members last night in the Municipal Courtroom. Mr. Baron succeeds Albert Stetson who resigned Aug. 4 after seven years of continuous service in that capacity.

NEWPORT

Robert Shackett has completed his duties at Krans Department Store.

Evangeline Adams of Manchester was a recent visitor at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Vaios Spanos on Sunapee Street.

Bernard Racicot spent the weekend in Concord where he attended a join session of the AFL and CIO.

Mrs. Georgiana Nichols was installed as vice grand at a meeting of Hopeful Rebekah Lodge Wednesday evening in Odd Fellows Hall. The ceremony was performed by Mrs. Thelma Bartlett, deputy installing officer, and Mrs. Florence Pike, deputy marshal.

Plans for the construction or conversion of a building to house Newport’s four school buses were weighed at a meeting of the Board of Selectmen recently. The buses are currently stored and maintained at the Chase and Avery garage at a storage cost of some $700 per year to the town.

Mrs. Billy B. Van and family are in New York where they will spend the winter. Mr. Van joined them this week to complete plans for a television show.

Rising temperatures bring rising flowers, reports Raymond Gay of Fourth Street, Newport. The present June-in-January mild spell has caused his garden to begin to sprout. Included among the early and unseasonable growths are crocuses, tulips daffodils, snowdrops and hyacinths, all about two inches high.

SUNAPEE

Dr. Joseph S. Thomas Jr. of Flushing, N.Y, has started to practice in this town. He was aided in coming here by the New Hampshire Medical Society which is trying to improve health services throughout the state.

UNITY

Visitors over the weekend at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Hansens were Paul Hansen of New York City, Miss Barbara Shepherd of Scarsdale, N.Y., Fred Bohndorf and his son, Dale, of Milford, Conn., and Mr. and Mrs. Harold Katz of Claremont.

CORNISH

Mr. and Mrs. Densmore and family of New London were callers at Arthur Densmore’s last Wednesday night.

SPRINGFIELD

Benjamin Kezar, Mrs. Ann Watson-Jones and Mrs. Florence Butcher attended the School Board Regional Meeting held recently in Claremont.

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