Gordon Woolen Mill sold in Newport; snow roller doing its job in Charlestown

PHOTO COURTESY OF NEWPORT HISTORICAL SOCIETY
1980

CLAREMONT

The near snowless winter has taken its toll on one major city industry, Hampshire Manufacturing, but company officials contend there are no further layoffs planned. Though the workforce has been reduced by a third over he last three months, Personnel Manager Gerard Porle said, “I’m almost positive we’ve had our all the layoffs we’re going to have.” The major employer cuts, many experienced by normal attrition in positions that weren’t replaced, are widespread in the plastic waterproof boot division, said Porle. “The area businesses are ordering much less than in previous years and Hampshire overspeculated the original demand, added Warehouse Manager Rene Mayer.

A $3.47million city budget, which could lower the expected tax rate jump about 15 cents, was tentatively adopted by the Claremont City Council Wednesday night. The budget would raise the city tax rate about $1.20.

Rick Howard has joined Century 21 Highview Realty, according to an announcement received from the company by Martha Langlois. “It’s a real plus to have Rick on board with his four years’ experience in the real estate business,” Langlois said.

How many people are able to turn five minutes of work into more than $900 worth of food? Now that’s a smart shopper. Louisa Paquette, 1 Marquis Ave., got to live the consumer’s dream this morning, recipient of a five-minute ‘free shopping spree” through Gerry’s Cash Markets Inc., Claremont. With store employees, relatives and her employers watching, Louise chalked up a total of $907,69 in edibles, including more than $415 worth of meat.

NEWPORT

Leroy Billings and Roland H. “Gus” Taylor have joined Arnold Campbell in running for two selectmen posts. All three filed to run Monday, the first day to do so.

The Newport Zoning Board of Adjustment granted a zoning ordinance variance Thursday night to Twin Valley Cable TV Inc., Newport, to install an “Earth Station” on 1.5 acres of land on East Mountain Road. The “Earth Station” is a 28-foot wide disc antenna for receiving television signals from a space satellite. The signals will be transmitted by cable by Twin Valley.

Mrs. Winston Hurd, Country Club Estates, who has been visiting her daughter and family. Mr. and Mrs. Donald Moore, Orlando, Fla., returned home last week.

Kelly Rodeschin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Rodeschin, Sunapee Road, Newport, was crowned Queen of the 1980 Newport Winter Carnival in ceremonies Feb. 8 at the Newport Opera House. Miss Rodeschin, who was crowned by last year’s Queen, Monica Rastallis, received the honor after being judged for her talent, poise and personality in the talent competition on Thursday evening, she did an original jazz routine. Jill Rogers, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Neil J. Burssard, Keene Road, was judged runner-up after performing a pantomime routing.

The Newport Budget Committee approved a 9 percent pay raise, which was built into the selectmen’s proposed budget for all town employees, Jan. 30 in the Municipal Office Building. The Committee also voted to reduce the selectmen’s stipend of $5,200 to $2,200 a year, elevate the town manager’s pay by $500 in addition to the 9 percent built-in increase and add $1,700 to the police department budget for gas and oil.

GEORGES MILLS

Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Garceau have returned home after visiting their daughters and their families. Mr. and Mrs. William McKenzie and children of Albion, Maine, and Mr. and Mrs. John Kane and children of Auburn, Maine.

SUNAPEE

Liz Kramer, daughter of Terese Kramer, was named to the Dean’s List for the fall semester at the University of Vermont, Burlington.

Ernest Cutting, Sunapee selectman, was honored by the Newport-Sunapee Jaycees as one of the two most outstanding citizens of 1980 at the 64th Annual Newport Winter Carnival. He was honored for his many years of service to his community.

GOSHEN

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Nelson returned to their Brook Road home Feb. 10 after a visit to the home of their daughter and her husband, Dr. and Mrs. Raymond Cashman, Windsor Locks, Conn. While there, they visited their granddaughter and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Holmes, and their great-granddaughter, Tara Marie Holmes, also of Windsor Locks.

GRANTHAM

Joel Hutching, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Hutchins, North Grantham, has enlisted in the United States Army. He left Jan. 2 for basic training at Fort Knox, Ky.

CORNISH

The Cornish School Board adopted a $502,261 budget for the 1980-81 year at its Monday night meeting. The spending proposal is up 6 1/2 percent from the current budget of $470,365.

CHARLESTOWN

The two-year renovation project at the Charlestown Elementary School is nearly complete at a total cost of $247,754. The money allocated at the 1978 and 1979 annual school district meetings went in the first year toward a new locker and shower area and science room for $100,485, emergency lighting and a fire alarm, system for $10,265, and in the second year a new kitchen, cafeteria, hallways and teachers’ room for $126,000.

1965

In recognition of 12 years of service as a trustee of Claremont General Hospital, Melvin C. Rowe was elected an honorary life member of the group last night. Arnold P. Shulins, president of the corporation, made the announcement of Rowe’s award and Mrs. Leverett M. Griswold, the only other honorary life trustee, also spoke briefly.

The Claremont City Democrats held their January election meeting Tuesday night at the City Courthouse. Earl Bourdon presented the slate of suggested officers drawn up by the nominating committee. A unanimous vote elected Ronald Laramie, Chairman, Arthur Barrows, vice chairman, Barbara Laramie, recording secretary and John Prince, treasurer. The new board of directors include Arthur Forrest, John Sideris, Harry Rosenberg, Harold Foisy, Robert Love, Ruth Hamilton, Samuel Bayer, Frank D’Amante, Leroy Prudhomme, Chauncey Cann, William Gaffney and Robert Ryan.

The endowment fund of the First Methodist Church was richer by $25,000 today following receipe of a check in that amount from Miss Maude F. Back of River Forest, Ill.

The trustees of Tufts University and the Trustees of the Boston Floating Hospital for Infants and children have jointly announced the appointment of Dr. Sydney S. Gellis, Claremont native, as Chairman and Professor of the university’s Department of Pediatrics and Pediatrician-in-Chief of the hospital.

Donald Limoges, the son of Mr. and Mrs. William Limoges of 42 Mulberry St. and a graduate of St. Mary High School, has been named chairman of the Sullivan County March of Dimes.

NEWPORT

The Sullivan County Democratic Committee through its spokesman Charles V. Spanos, chairman, said today it feels the recent action taken by the New Hampshire State Senate relative to the ousting of James Lewis of Newport and the naming of a Republican to his seat was an unlawful usurpation of power and an unconstitutional action. “It is unfortunate that power politics has replaced the Democratic process here in New Hampshire in this instance,” Spanos said.

The Newport School Board last night approved a new teacher salary schedule that will require about a $20,000 increase over last year’s $327,345 salary appropriation. The new schedule sets a minimum starting salary of $4,500 for beginning teachers with a bachelor’s degree and $4,950 for beginners with a master’s degree. The upper limits in both categories at $6,750 for bachelor’s and $7,200 for maser’s, each based on 10 years of teaching experience.

Mr. and Mrs. Eric Richardson and their son, Kristian, who spent the weekend with Mrs. Richardson’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Karr, have returned to Keene State College where Mrs. Richardson teachers and where Mr. Richardson will select courses for the second semester.

Twenty-four students who have completed the first semester driver education course at Towle High School took written and practical tests Monday. They were Dawn Emery, Diana Pierce, Dana Brown, Leslie and Lloyd Hamilton, James Richards, Diane Collins, Betty Currier, Pam Hardy, Laura Pinkney, Laura Thurber, Donna Wright, Eric Peirce, Timothy Winter, Loretta Caron, Ruth Thurber, Nancy Niemi, Linda Wilson, Pamela Juris, Calista Teague, Shirley Kanerva, Alice Dubreuil, Rita Haselton and Sandra Johnson.

GRANTHAM

Isaac Reney, Enfield, and Mrs. Russell Osgood, Stratford, Vt., were recent visitors of Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Small.

GEORGES MILLS

Joseph O. Fleming attended the annual convention of the Northeastern Retail Lumbermen’s Assn. last weekend in New York City. He also attended the National Motor Boat Show.

SPRINGFIELD

John Dayton, USN, Chicago, and his wife, the former Ellouise Leonard, and their daughter, Ann, spent last week with Mrs. Dayton’s grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Harland Heath. They left Sunday for Norfolk, Va.

SUNAPEE

Five Boy Scouts in Sunapee Troop 40 were recently advanced in rank. They are Daniel Ruggles, Mark Merrill, Yveo Zornio and Larry Luissier, second class, and Matthew Towne, first class.

1950

CLAREMONT

Leonard Foisy has returned to St. Andrew’s Seminary Rochester, N.Y., after spending a vacation with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Rosarie Foisy on Chellis Street.

Fire Chief Esmond J. Dansereau has been re-elected president of the Claremont Fireman’s Union Association. Also re-elected at the organization’s annual meeting were Charles Little, first vice president; Chauncey Cann, second vice president; Arthur Thibodeau, secretary, and Garvin Stringer, treasurer. Named to the house committee which handles entertainment and the like, were Armand Grenier, William Bonneau, Lawrence Plantier and Milton Haugsrud.

Arthur E. Howe is attending the New England Granite Dealers Convention in Boston for a few days.

Past Presidents’ Night was observed by Claremont Emblem Club 26 at its meeting in the Elks Home Wednesday night. Past presidents taking over the offices were Mrs. Louise Siske, Mrs. Constance McGinnis, Mrs. Eva Provost, Mrs. Veronica Stockwell, Mrs. Sophie Townsend and Mrs. Anna Adamovich.

Senator Charles W. Tobey and Wesley Powell, Hampton attorney, opponents in the Republican primary for the 1950 senatorial election in this state, will be speakers at the fourth Sullivan County Lincoln Day Dinner to be held at the Colonial Hotel here on Feb. 13.

George Sanborn and Guy Hastings of Claremont left this week for a tour of Florida.

NEWPORT

The nine-man Budget committee held an organizational meeting Friday evening with John J. Condon named to succeed Judge Jacob M. Shulins as chairman. Other committee member are Jon Powers, Nathaniel Daimont, Edward Pariseau, George Dorr J., Ethan Smith, Clyde Pratt an Harry Woodard.

Wallace J. Terko, a student at the University of New Hampshire, is spending the weekend with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Boris Terko of Beech Street.

Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas J. Mahoney Jr., have returned to their home in Marion, Mass., after spending the first part of the week in Newport. Mr. Mahoney recently purchased the Argus-Champion.

A seven-man board of directors for 1950 was named at the annual stockholders meeting of the Citizens National Bank held in the bank rooms yesterday. The board includes Lloyd R. Cummings, George A. Dorr Jr., Ervin P. Edmunds, Raymond A. Eggleston, Carroll D. Johnson, Ernest G. Miller and Leo L. Osborne.

Michael Hourihan and his sister, Miss Nellie Hourihan, are staying indefinitely in Florida.

Directors have voted to sell the Gordon Woolen Mill, one of this town’s three woolen manufacturing companies and one of its principal industries, it was announced this afternoon in Keene by Gordon K. Brown, president. In a prepared statement released to the press, Mr. Brown said, “Due to prevailing circumstances, directors of the Gordon Woolen Mill Company have voted to sell their mill located in Newport.

GOSHEN

Josh Howe of Claremont was elected president of the Sullivan County Automobile Dealers Association at a recent meeting held at Lynbrook Lodge. Briscoe P. Spencer was named vice president; John Graham, secretary-treasurer and George Irwin, a director. All three men are from Claremont. John Avery Sr. of Newport was also elected a director.

CROYDON

Mrs. William O. Burke of Newport is visiting her daughter, Mrs. Ray Dodge and family.

Charles Walker visited Mrs. David Whipple one day last week.

EAST UNITY

Mrs. Elfreda Frost of Newport, East Unity school teacher, was ill on Monday and Mrs. Bailey of Charlestown substituted for her.

SUNAPEE

Miss Emily von Dreden was the leader of the Worship service at the meeting of the Methodist Youth Fellowship Sunday evening.

Miss Margaret Hoban of New London was an overnight guest of Mrs. Lillian R. Ross last Thursday.

EAST LEMPSTER

Students at the East Lempster School who had 100 percent in arithmetic Tuesday were Terry McCullough, Joel Berlanger, Patty Locke, Virginia Martin, Judith Berlanger, Janet Nichols, Ralph Wilson, Edward McCullough, Katherine Wirkkala, Mary Barron, Kenneth Johnson, Rose Whipple, Brenda Nascimento, Rodney Ballou and Kathleen George.

1900

CHARLESTOWN

The biggest snowstorm of the season visited us Sunday night and Monday morning.

The scraper and roller for streets have both been in operation.

Colds have been the order of the day, some accompanied with throat troubles.

Bowen’s new plant, recently acquired of C.K. Wood, is now in operation with logs coming in rapidly.

Dry wood is a scarce article in the town, and in very good demand, that is, stove fitted.

Miss Anna Hackett ids caring for Mrs. Fred Jardine who is quite poorly.

Mrs. W.B. Osgood is not improving as rapidly as her friends wish.

Deacon Cephas Walker, one of our oldest citizens, is quite dsmart for an octogenarian, and able to walk a short distance on pleasant days.

New spring goods of the first quality are already being exhibited at F.W. Hamlin’s, they are not “job lot” goods nor procured from some “syndicate markdown.” Give him a call.