100 years ago in The Hardwick Gazette, April 22, 1926
CHURCH NOTES
Congregational Church
Rev. L. H. Stoughton, Pastor
10:45 A. M., Morning Worship. Sermon theme, “The Great Sin.”
11:55 A. m., Sunday School.
7:00 P. M., Community Service in Congregational Church. Mr. Stoughton will speak on “Better Homes.” Better Homes Week will be extensively observed. Hardwick people should be in it. All interested are especially invited to attend the service Sunday evening.
The Good-Hearted Class of this church will hold their usual monthly meeting in the church parlors next Monday evening April 26.
NEW AUTOMOBILE HEADLIGHT REGULATIONS
All the people of Vermont very much desire improved conditions relative to motor vehicle headlights. The glaring headlight and the one”-eyed” are not only troublesome to all drivers but are exceedingly dangerous. The Motor Vehicle Bureau will make a strenuous effort by correction and instruction to substantially reduce the menace from improperly focused and adjusted headlights and will not in all probability resort to prosecutions to this end provided the motorists and garages of Vermont cooperate in the plan herein stated.
50 years ago in The Hardwickian, April 20, 1976
Talk of the Town
The misses Gale and Karen Bessette, daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Dona Bessette, Andrea Hussey, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Hussey, Pauline LaCasse, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Albert LaCasse and Jessica Woods of Fair Haven left Wednesday for Daytona Beach, Florida to spend a week’s vacation.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Evans have returned to their home in Newington, Conn. after spending a couple of weeks at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Freeman Houghton while Freeman was in the Mary Fletcher Hospital in Burlington.
Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Renaud and son, Ricky were in Morrisville on Sunday where they had Easter Dinner with her mother, Mrs. Hazel Demars.
Ricky Renaud has returned to Castleton State College after spending a week’s vacation at his home.
Mr. and Mrs. Ludger Lemay and family of East Hardwick were in Lurel, Maryland, this past weekend visiting their son, Mr. and Mrs. Norman Lemay.
Mr. and Mrs. Roger LeCours and children spent Easter Sunday with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Tucker in Barre.
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Roy of Cottage St. left Saturday for Yellow Springs, Ohio where they will spend the Easter holiday with Mrs. Roy’s daughter and family, Dr. and Mrs. H.E. Curley. They were accompanied by Mrs. Louise Gallant and her daughter, Susan, of Vermont Ave. who will visit Col. and Mrs. William Robb at Wright Patterson AFB, Wairborn [Fairborn], Ohio.
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Merrill spent the Easter weekend with their daughter’s family, Mr. and Mrs. Donald Gaskell in West Milford, New Jersey.
Daniel LeCours of Church Street and Robert Goudreau of Burlington left Thursday for Daytona Beach, Florida.
Mr. and Mrs. Roger Guillette and family spent the weekend of April 10 in Hardwick visiting Mr. and Mrs. Davila Brochu and Mr. and Mrs. Richard Hooper.
Mr. and Mrs. David LeBlanc of Elm Street, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Hooper of Brush Street and Mr. and Mrs. Richard Baker of East Hardwick were in Williston on Sunday where they had Easter Dinner with Mr. and Mrs. Manuel Leblanc and family.
25 years ago in The Hardwick Gazette, April 25, 2001
The Morse Code
by Dave Morse
One Last Go Around For Jan
During the heyday of Jan Howard’s powerhouse softball and basketball teams at Hazen Union School, the present-day Wildcats were not even born. That dates back to the early Eighties.
Howard, one of two founding teachers remaining at Hazen since its inception in ’71, is now returning to the varsity level for one season. This could be her legacy.
Led by the legendary Penny Libercent, those early Wildcats ran roughshod over the opposition, both basketball and softball, going undefeated in one combined season with a pair of state championships.
The previous season they lost to class L Brattleboro Union by one run in a rain delayed invitational at Essex Junction. The next year it was the Penny and Paula (Pecor) show.
Howard considered Kathy Corrow another key at second base, because when the opposition connected against Libercent — which wasn’t often — it most often was of the check swing variety to the other side against the righthanded thrower.
“Nobody could get around,” said Howard, who still marvels at Libercent to this day. “Our third baseman was never tested.”
Howard has been in on the development of Jack Strong’s resurging soccer program, and was assisted in those glory years by Jean Hackett, another institution at Hazen.
(Strong is the other faculty member remaining at the school since its inception.)
Howard expects the game to be played right, and that was apparent at the first outdoor workout of the spring Monday on Hudson Fields, which the Wildcats will be able to call “home” for the first time in three seasons.
“You try to treat players who they are (as individuals),” said Howard on her return to the varsity diamond. “You run with the good things, and work on the others.
“I don’t like to lose, especially at this game (softball).”
Of course, the down side to all this is Howard has announced her retirement at the end of the school year next month after 30 years on staff.
There are only two senior Wildcats, and Howard believes they bring the motivation to start a new day on the diamond. That will leave a foundation of at least 15 players for next season.
After the season you certainly can catch Howard at the Babe Ruth League baseball games of son Spencer, who was following in Mom’s footsteps by helping with practice Monday by hitting fly balls.
10 years ago in The Hardwick Gazette, April 20, 2016
Chili Tasting Raises Money for Education
by Will Walters
CABOT — The turnout for the chili tasting festival Saturday might have been low from the good warm weather and that there was a basketball championship going on. Despite that, people came in steadily to taste the famous Cabot chilies at the Willey Building.
“Chili needs cold or bad weather,” said one visitor.
Last year’s festival was held Feb. 1 and had more tasters along with more chilies to test. The original event was an open air festival held in late fall on the common.
The chili tasting is a fundraiser sponsored by the Cabot Partners in Education. This year, $50 was raised from people buying a cup of their favorite to take home at $2 a cup. Chilies included ones that were mild, vegetarian, a little spicy and one called “The Punisher,” which heated up taste buds very effectively, among other culinary offerings.
