100 years ago in The Hardwick Gazette, May 27, 1926
MEMORIAL WEEK IN HARDWICK
Exercises Beginning Friday Afternoon by School — Pre-Memorial Sunday Forenoon — Memorial Day Program Monday
Under auspices of Ellsworth Relief Corps, the citizens of Hardwick once more will be given an opportunity to unite with this organization in honoring the soldier and sailor living and dead of the war of the rebellion and also of the wars previous to that time and since. With the ranks of the Grand Army veterans thinning rapidly with the passing years, instead of making plans for being away from town on this day in which we should all unite in paying patriotic tribute, let us plan to aid this patriotic organization in the carrying out of its plans for a several days’ program in observance of Memorial Day. It is becoming a big task in these times to induce people to scarifice [sic] a few short hours in which to make this day one in which to cherish the memory of our heroic dead and pay due respect to the living. This is a day in which every city, town, village or hamlet renders homage, and so let us, by heartily co-operating with Ellsworth Relief Corps, make this a day that will go down in history of the town as one that can be looked back upon in the years to come as a banner one in the observance of Memorial Day.
The exercises of the week will open tomorrow afternoon, when the shcool [sic] children of the grades will do their part in honoring the memory of those who participated in the wars of the United States and will be held at the opera house. What more inspiring sight than to see the hundreds of school children marching under the stars and stripes to the opera house to render a patriotic program in keeping with the week. This should bring out a large number of people. We try to teach our children patriotism. How better can we taech [sic] them than honoring their exercises by our presence?
Pre-Memorial exercises on Sunday, May 30th, will also take place at the opera house and will take place of the usual services in the several churches in town, or at 10:45 A. M. This service will be in charge of Rev. L. H. Stoughton, and is sure to be in keeping with others of a like nature in the past. Rev. L. H. Stoughton will deliver the Pre-Memorial address, and this speaker needs no further introduction to Hardwick audiences. There will also be special music.
On Friday delegates from the Relief Corps will visit the various rooms in the graded schools in the village and the schools in the town district.
Monday forenoon, delegations of Boy Scouts will decorate the graves in the Maple street cemetery with wreaths.
At one o’clock in the afternoon the line of march will be formed in front of the Memorial building on Church street, with Frank E. Hall as marshal. The Boy Scouts, Seniors, Juniors and Girl Scouts, will march in a body, while all fraternal organizations and societies are cordially invited to take part in the parade. The G. N. R. veterans, if any are able to be present, will be in automobiles, the W. R. C. and school children, speaker of the day and citizens will also be in the parade. The line of march will be to the Main street cemetery where fitting exercises will be given, then the return march to the opera house, where the balance of the program will be given. It is exepeted [sic] that Melvin G. Morse will preside; Logan’s general orders will be read by Scout Master, P.A. Shattuck; Lincoln’s Gettysburg address will be given by Robert Lee Stewart, valedictorian of the H. A. graduating class; invocation by Rev. A. S. Bole, while the address of the day will be given by Rev. John Norris of West Burke.
Again let Hardwick citizens do their duty on this day. Schools, stores and industrial plants will close for the day, and it should be one of the best ever held in town.
Music for Memorial Day, Monday, May 31st: March, “Trisgian, Losey; Orchestra; “Battle Hymn of the Republie; Overture, Bennet; Orchestra; Soprano Solo, “As Pants the Har’t,” Handel, Elizabeth Morrill, Violin obligato by E. H. Bridgman; “America”; March, “Stony Point,” Laurendeau.
75 years ago in The Hardwick Gazette, May 24, 1951
$150,000 FIRE AT EAST CALAIS
Estimated loss of $150,000 was suffered at East Calais early Tuesday morning when the Lamb and Mullin, Inc., two-story sawmill, and a ware house, as well as the eight-room house of Mrs. Richard F. Lamb, one of the owners, as well as a store next to the plant, were destroyed by fire.
The fire was discovered by a watchman, shortly before 5 A. M. in the splitting room, up over the boiler room, when he was stoking the boiler room firebox, and he sounded the alarm.
Fire departments were called from Montpelier, Barre, Hardwick and Plainfield. From the time that Chief H. E. Rowell here received the call it was just a little over 21 minutes and the local department was on the scene.
The establishment, the community’s only industry, employed 48 people, but the owners doubt if they can rebuild or start business again. Only about 25 per cent of the loss was covered by insurance.
50 years ago in The Hardwickian, May 25, 1976
HOSPITAL INFORMATION AVAILABLE BY PHONE
In order to give area residents every opportunity to obtain information or to make their personal pledges for the proposed Hardwick Hospital and Health Center, the hospital board will have somone [sic] at the hospital to take phone calls Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
There will be someone to answer the phone and take pledges or give out information during the same hours on June 1 and 2. The phones are 472-5221 and 472-6543.
If someone wants detailed and extensive information about the proposed new hospital and health center facility, James Hall, president of the hospital board, said he or Art Williams, will be willing to meet with them.
This effort by the new hospital backers is one final try at restoring some drive and energy to the campaign.
The fund-raising campaign has been successful from the standpoint that about 73 people donate $ 1,000 each which is quite significant, said Hall.
So far, about $370.000 has been raised. The total goal is $800,000.
There are about 4,000 more people in the area who are considered potential donors but so far, they have not made a pledge. Money pledged may be given over a period of years.
25 years ago in The Hardwick Gazette, May 30, 2001
Radio Tower Loses Signal; Appeal Dropped
by Jo Gilder
WOODBURY – The fight for the radio tower in Woodbury is over — at least for the time being.
In a letter dated May 24, Thomas Gluszczak, secretary and treasurer of Mid-Atlantic Broadcasting, Inc., wrote to Steve Freihofner, chair of the Zoning Board of Adjustment. In the letter, he stated that “Swenson Granite recently notified Mid-Atlantic Broadcasting that they will no longer lease land at their Woodbury quarry for our proposed transmitting facility. As a result, Mid-Atlantic is withdrawing it’s appeal to the Board’s decision denying Mid-Atlantic’s request for a zoning permit.”
Gluszczak came to the town last year and proposed starting a radio station in Woodbury, which would transmit into Hardwick and other local areas. The station, which was contingent on Mid-Atlantic winning a bid for a radio frequency this year, also needed to build a radio tower.
Gluszczak wanted to construct the tower at Swenson’s quarry site, but the plan was not well received in town. A petition opposing the tower circulated and the town’s Zoning Board determined the tower was not a permitted use in the quarry. . .
10 years ago in The Hardwick Gazette, May 25, 2016
Solar Signs To Shine Light On Speed
by Will Walters
CABOT — Solar powered speed signs will be coming to the village soon, after the Select Board authorized road commissioner Karen Deasy to place an order for them. The town has $5,000 in the budget for one and Cabot Creamery has agreed to pay for the other.
Solar sign batteries are expected to last for seven years and the cost of two is $9,882. Deasy said she did not have a replacement cost for batteries but said in seven years the price may be different. She said the units have been on the market for seven years only so the actual life of the batteries is not known.
Placement has not been set yet but prior discussion was for one to be on the southbound side of Bond Hill, Route 215 north, before the approach to the north bridge. Another will be by the creamery’s visitor center. The signs will not arrive for approximately four to six weeks and then some additional time will be needed for installation.
Deasy said no additional features besides the clocking of speed are in the units to be ordered. They will not record pictures of vehicles or license plates.
The board recently discussed having the capital budget include two new highway department trucks for next year with the 2007 and 2011 trucks being replaced with two 10 wheel vehicles. Deasy said last year $18,000 was spent on truck repairs. She said 10 wheelers will reduce the number of trips to the garage hauling sand.
The board may have picnic tables set up on the grassy area of the fire departments [sic] parking lot. Chief Walter “Skip” Bothfeld thought from the information he originally had that the use of the lot would be closer to the station and river bank. He raised safety concerns at the board’s meeting but when the location was clarified he said he saw no objection.
