Chester Chatter: Changes can be bad and good

By Ruthie Douglas
© 2018 Telegraph Publishing LLC

Old times past were not always the safest. Take for instance the automobile.

One had to use hand signals to let other drivers know where you were going, first rolling down the window manually. No seat belts, no airbags, no child seats for the safety of passengers.

There was also no cable TV. You had an aerial on a rooftop and would perhaps get two stations to come in. TV went off the air at 11 p.m. Some shows were also very silly. Remember the one with the talking horse and the other with the flying nun?

Grocery stores closed by 8 p.m. and many were not self-service. The clerk would have to get you what you wanted. And food was not pre-packaged. The butcher would cut your meat to order — ah, but that was and continues to be a good thing.

Many folks, especially those in rural Vermont, still had an outhouse and no running water and had to use the hand pump to get water from the well.

Over the years, we have made many changes to how we live, some good, some bad.

Around town and elsewhere

The Springfield High School Class of 1959 met for lunch on the last Friday of the month at Riverside Restaurant.

My longtime friend Marianna Lloyd died recently. Our children were good friends and she and I ran Summer Girl Scout Day Camp. Marianna was a great and loving person and I was glad to know her.

American Legion Post 67 held its annual kids Christmas Party at the hall on Saturday. Every child received a gift and a chance to speak to Santa, Mrs. Claus and the Elves and lunch was served.

Jim Hollis entertained residents of Springfield Health and Rehab with his great music.

The annual Senior Citizens Christmas Dinner, usually held at Chester-Andover Elementary School, was held at Green Mountain High School on Saturday.

The 2nd Annual Chester Cookie Tour of a number of wonderful architecturally significant homes and buildings in town took place on Sunday. What a great event!

Joe and Jean Bolaski and friends Myrt and Leslie Graham spent the weekend with family in Maine.

Card shower for Phoebe Barnes

The family of Phoebe Barnes is celebrating her 90th birthday Jan. 10th with a card shower! Phoebe has been a resident of Chester for more than 60 years since she moved here with her late husband, Albert Barnes.

Phoebe worked in Chester and together with her husband raised their six children — Lewis, Tim, Kathy, Kevin, Richard and Julie — in Chester. Please help us wish her the happiest of birthdays with a card.

Cards can be sent to:
Phoebe Barnes
354 Depot St.
Chester, Vt. 05143

• This week’s trivia question:  Who was the first basketball coach at Green Mountain High School?
  
• Answer to last week’s trivia question: Ed Condu owned the Wheel Ranch.
  

Street Talk

Of all the Christmas songs, which one is your least favorite?