Fifty Years Ago in Andover: December 1966

Andover Rescue Squad acquires a new ambulance

Here’s some old news from the Andover, East Andover, West Andover, Potter Place, and Cilleyville “gossip” columns of the Franklin Journal Transcript, selected by Virginia Edwards.

Andover, December 1, 1966

Mr. and Mrs. Howard Hazen of Tilton formerly of town have bought a home on Franklin Road.

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Hanson are having a pre-fab two car garage built.

Mr. and Mrs. Allan MacDonald and family, Mr. and Mrs. Richardson spent Thanksgiving with Mrs. MacDonald’s sister Mrs. Barbara (Richardson) Firman and family of South Royalton, Massachusetts.

Erving Nelson of New College and Mrs. Bruce Goings and family of New London were guests of their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Erving Nelson Sr., on Thanksgiving Day.

Mr. and Mrs. Willard Wyeth spent Thanksgiving with their son and family, Mr. and Mrs. Willard Wyeth Jr. of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts.

Howard Wilson of Belgium spent Friday with his mother, Mrs. Freda Wilson. His family was unable to attend as Howard was on a business trip.

Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Perreault of Nashua spent the long weekend with Mr. and Mrs. Frank Poblens.

Henry Fagon spent Thanksgiving with his daughter and family.

Many families made this Thanksgiving Day a wonderful memory of travel, or to be at home with family and guests, to make Thanksgiving Day a true Family Dinner.

Andover Elementary School News: The boys in both of Mrs. Flint’s shop classes have been working on an addition to the rock exhibit display shelf in the lab. Mrs. Haight, the school nurse, has been testing eyes, ears, weights, and heights of the children. The seventh and eighth graders are planning to have a birthday party for Mark Twain on Wednesday, because of their studies. The Andover Eagles are planning a basketball game on Thursday night, December 1, with Warner.

Lucky deer hunters this week are Gary Currier, 12 year old son, of Mr. and Mrs. Lyman Currier; Dale McLeod; Skip Powers; Carlton and Billy George; and John Ireland.

East Andover, December 1, 1966

Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Hersey and son Roger of Connecticut spent Thanksgiving weekend at their home here, and dinner with Mr. and Mrs. James Hersey and guest Robert Robie.

Mr. and Mrs. Chester Sheldon had their folks, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Sheldon and Mr. and Mrs. Joseph LaMontagne of Rochester for Thanksgiving dinner.

Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Call spent Thanksgiving in Ohio with daughter and family.

Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Young Jr. and children Becky and Peter of Brunswick, Maine spent the weekend with Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Young and Mr. and Mrs. Earl Kimball.

Mrs. Edythe Nagel spent Thanksgiving with her granddaughter Miss Barbara Langohr in Poultney, Vermont. Barbara’s mother, Mrs. George Langohr of Sandwood, New Jersey, joined them and all had dinner at the Green Mountain Cottage.

A son, Mark Richard, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Richardson Moore on December 2 in New London Hospital. Mark joins his sister Melody.

Born to Mr. and Mrs. Larry French: a girl, Michelle Marie, on December 5 at New London Hospital.

Wedding anniversary congratulations go out to Mr. and Mrs. Victor Phelps on December 15 for their 51st anniversary; Mr. and Mrs. Robert Peters on December 18; Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Blake on December 22; Mr. and Mrs. Richard Parris on December 22; and Mr. and Mrs. Paul Chadwick on December 23; and Mr. and Mrs. Norris McLean on December 28.

Congratulations to Miss Joan Downs of Andover and Samuel Young of Franklin on their wedding, held on November 26 at the Andover Congregational Church. The Reverend Francis Tucker united the couple in a double ring ceremony. Best wishes to the happy couple.

Much sympathy goes to Mrs. Mary A. Tousignant on the death of her sister, Mrs. Rainville of Penacook, this past week.

Henry R. Powers, 76, of Andover passed away on November 30 at New London Hospital after a long illness. Born in Danbury and resided in Andover for many years. Services were held on Sunday at Chadwick Funeral Home. Burial will be in Proctor Cemetery in Andover.

Andover, December 8, 1966

A mural of Huckleberry Finn was drawn by Arthur Grady and John Reed at the school.

A sewing machine has been acquired for the special class, for the main reason so they will be able to sew their own costumes for the Christmas play. The play will be on December 16. The name of the play is Santa Claus Express and will include students of all ages. The play is under the direction of teachers and assisted by Gail Sanborn. Musical assistance is being furnished by Mrs. Gay Ellen Sanborn and Susan Sheldon. The production is open to the public and will be held in the Andover Elementary School gym.

Andover Rescue Squad is not commercial. Carl Meier of Andover has asked us this week to make it perfectly clear that “no fees will be charged in any circumstances” for calls answered by the recently acquired Andover Rescue Squad ambulance. “This is not a commercial set-up in any way,” he said. “We will assist in any way we can whenever we are called.” It is not the intent of the Squad to compete in any way with other ambulance services in the area.

East Andover, December 8, 1966

Mrs. Hazel Taylor’s daughter June and grandson David and Mrs. Eleanor Spaulding of Lakeport visited with Mrs. Bessie Keyser on Saturday.

Mr. and Mrs. Rose MacDonald and girls of Malden, Massachusetts, and Miss Joyce Forsberg of New Jersey spent the Thanksgiving holiday weekend with their parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Forsberg.

Miss Marion Steuerwald spent the weekend with friends in Massachusetts.

Mrs. Ellen Taylor, Miss Wenona Schoolcraft, and Mrs. Bessie Keyser were holiday guests of Mr. and Mrs. Gilman Schoolcraft and family in Franklin.

Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Frost and daughter Mrs. Eula Kelley spent the Thanksgiving holiday with Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Emery in Woodstock, Vermont.

Miss Leslie Wright and Miss Martha Burney, accompanied by the Reverend Francis Tucker, attended the Youth Fellowship Rally in Franklin on Sunday, December 4.

Everett Phelps is a patient at Mary Hitchcock Hospital in Hanover. We wish him well.

Andover, December 15, 1966

The American Legion Christmas party will be held on Saturday, December 17, at 7:30 PM in the school gym. Come and bring your children as Santa will be there and cartoons will be shown.

Twenty parents and three teachers attended the regular monthly meeting of the Parent Teachers Group held at the school last Thursday evening. The attendance banner was awarded to Mrs. Thompson’s room for having 52% of her students represented. Final plans were made for the Christmas supper and bazaar.

Miss Cynthia Phelps, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Victor Phelps, will be vacationing from her secretarial studies at Pierce College for Women, Concord, for a period of two weeks.

East Andover, December 15, 1966

Forty children and adults attended the North Road Community Club Christmas party in Flaghole on Saturday evening. The Thisell family and Mr. and Mrs. George Miller played their band for entertainment. Exchange of gifts and refreshments of cake, cookies, ice cream, popcorn, candy, and coffee were served buffet-style.

Ten women of the Ladies Aid attended the sewing day at Mrs. Ella Hedens home on December 8. Sewing was done on cancer dressings and aprons. There was an announcement that the shut-in Christmas plates will be filled at the home of Eldora Walker on Thursday, December 22.

Andover, December 22, 1966

Thirty-five members of the Andover Service Club met on December 14 for their Christmas luncheon in the East Andover Library.

We would like to thank Mrs. Victor Phelps for the piano she donated to the school and Clarence Keyser Jr. for moving it.

The first graders are doing a survey of industries in Andover and comparing them with those of a town of over twice the population. This is being done in cooperation with the first graders in Pittsfield, New Hampshire.

120 children received Christmas presents from Santa Claus at the American Legion Christmas party on Saturday, December 17. Cartoons were shown and refreshments served.

East Andover, December 22, 1966

A candlelight service will be held on Saturday, Christmas Eve, at 11 PM in the church. Any folks, teens that are interested in Christmas Caroling will meet in front of the East Andover church on Christmas Eve at 7:45 PM. Chaperones will be Mr. and Mrs. Howard Weinert, Mr. and Mrs. Tim Frost, and Monroe Haley.

Election of officers took place at the meeting of East Andover Fire Department on Wednesday, December 14. A good report was given.

VFW Auxiliary Chatterbox: The December 11 meeting was held with 12 members present. We opened with the flag salute and prayer. President McAdams reported we had a profit of $71 from our Thanksgiving baskets.

Marjorie Pease was appointed chairman for the children’s Christmas Party. Refreshments were served with birthday cake and a gift for Sadie Ruel.

Andover, December 29, 1966

Mr. and Mrs. William C. Harris of Kennebunkport, Maine, spent the Christmas holidays with their daughter and family, Mrs. Gracie Snyder.

Mrs. Lillian Matava is a patient at New London Hospital. We wish her a speedy recovery.

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Heinlein spent Christmas with their daughter and family, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Trafton of South Acton, Massachusetts.

Mr. and Mrs. Willard Wyeth spent Christmas with their son and family, Mr. and Mrs. Willard Wyeth Jr., in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts.

Mr. and Mrs. William George entertained their children, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Ridlon and family, Mr. and Mrs. Howard George and family of town, Miss Rosalie Fifield of Franklin, and John Pay of Dover.

PFC James Delaney of Quantico, Virginia spent Christmas with his mother, Mrs. Alice Delaney. Other guests at the Reginald Mativa home were Mrs. Clara Babineau; Mrs. Shirley Downs and daughter Tammy Downs and William Kilmartin, all of Franklin; Mrs. Louis Eastman of Bristol; Clifton Delaney Jr. of Lebanon; and Mrs. Alice Delaney and two daughters. James had to return to base on Christmas Day. There were four generations at the house.

East Andover, December 29, 1966

Many of the young folks have been skating on the Channel of Highland Lake.

Mr. and Mrs. Perley Ordway entertained their family for Christmas: Pvt. Wyman Ordway from Texas, Mr. and Mrs. Douglas McLeod and family of Franklin, Mr. and Mrs. Dale McLeod, and Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Cloutier and family.

Potter Place, December 29, 1966

Christmas Day guests of Mr. and Mrs. Wellington Reed in Potter Place were their daughter and family, Mrs. James Minard and family, Mrs. Virginia Reed of Potter Place, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Shortle and his father George Shortle of Laconia, and Mrs. Ruth Sears of New London.