Danielle Rathburn, 5-year-old daughter of Glen and Michelle Rathburn of Orange, found the coveted George Washington hatchet just 35 minutes into the search at the annual Hatchet Hunt. Miss Rathburn is the youngest participant to find the hatchet in the event’s 72-year history. Ten-year-old Will Prusik, son of Bernice and Patrick Prusik, found the Johnnie Johnstone hatchet. More than 300 youngsters and parents searched through the two acres of woods. Forty-nine prizes were claimed. The hunt, sponsored by the Athol Fire Department and the Athol Area YMCA, was coordinated by Bob and Peg Shepardson.
More than 250 people attended the American Legion Auxiliary E.H. Phillips Post 102 Americanism Night recently. In attendance were area Boy and Girl Scouts, students, teachers, parents, and representatives of veterans organizations.
The Athol Merchant’s Association will sponsor their second “Take Pride In Our Youth” fashion show. Proceeds will benefit the Athol Business and Merchant Scholarship Fund for Athol High School seniors. The fashion show will be held at the Ellinwood Country Club and models will feature fashions from Athol Army Navy, Checkers, Easy On Apparel and Temptations Boutique.
Sugar and Spice Preschool was recently visited by Dr. Robert Bergantino of Adams Animal Hospital. Because of the current rabies outbreak in Massachusetts, Dr. Bergantino stressed caution and avoidance in handling unknown pets and wild animals. Students brought in stuffed animals for physical examinations.
The Orange Police Department has announced that their new canine, “Boy,” will be returned to the training kennel in Louisiana and replaced with a German shepherd. Dog officer Clay Rushford said the dog, a Belgian Malinois, is too high strung and intense for the K-9 program here, which involves contact with people. He said the replacement dog will come from the Louisiana kennel. He said the Louisiana company is a reputable operation and is cooperating with the department during the transition.
Public school students in Holliston will have to leave their cellular phones at home. The school committee voted to prohibit all students, including those in elementary grades, from bringing their mobile phones or beepers into schools. Teachers and committee members say the devices are disruptive.
Robert H. Lawton of Athol has been named “National Forestry Conservationist of the Year 1968” by the National Wildlife Federation, world’s largest conservation organization. In naming Lawton for the national award, the Wildlife Federation cited his own 735-acre farm as exemplifying progressive forest management techniques. In addition to opening his own lands to the public for hiking, supervised camping and other outdoor activities, Lawton has integrated good forest management techniques into community owned woodlands for beautification, educational and monetary benefits.
Nearly 130 scouts and leaders from six troops and 19 patrols in Western District, Monadnock Council spent most of the day on the windswept, snow packed fairways of Ellinwood Country Club working their way through six stations of the Klondike Derby.
Members and guests of the Orange and Athol Chambers of Commerce will hear a panel of Worcester experts in retail advertising and marketing at a dinner meeting at Tully Brook Inn. Arranged by the merchants committee of the Orange Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with the public service committee of the Advertising Club of Worcester, the meeting will be an advertising clinic on advertising and future merchandising trends.
Raymond Kelly, who retired from the Orange Police Department after 27 years’ service, will be honored by the department, town and county officials and friends at a testimonial banquet at Elks Club, Orange.
Lloyd Bridges and Shirley Jones, movie stars, are on location in New Salem and Amherst for scenes for a movie “Silent Night, Lonely Night” scheduled to be released at Christmastime. The stars, with camera crews and extras (college students from Amherst) will be in the area eight days with Director Daniel Petrie and Producer Jack Farren. Cameramen were filming scenes of the New Salem Country Kitchen, a restaurant recently purchased by Mr. and Mrs. J. Arthur MacLean of Athol. The motion picture, based on a Broadway play, also will show scenes of a manger set up in front of the automotive shop at New Salem Academy.
Less than 24 hours after Miss Geraldine E. Martin, R.N., Athol public health nurse, made a public appeal through the Daily News for two cribs for a destitute family of seven small children, she received four offers, two of which she gratefully accepted.
Workers and friends of workers in the Micrometer Department at the L.S. Starrett Co., totaling 150, held a Valentine party, which included a chicken pie supper, in Washington Hall, Odd Fellows Building. A combination of variety acts provided entertainment for the evening. Dancing was enjoyed with music by Goodnow’s Orchestra.
A drive to secure an estimated $25,000 to $30,000 with which to build a new synagogue and Jewish community center has been launched. The present Agudas Achim Synagogue at 47 Pine St., which has served the Jewish community since 1911 is inadequate, Rabbi Solomon J. Segal declared, stating it is too small, lacks classrooms and other conveniences. Building of the new community center will in all probability have to wait until after the war, Rabbi Segal said.
Athol’s war industries will disregard the Washington’s Birthday holiday and continue to produce needed war materials. However, stores, banks, the Post Office, business offices, the Daily News, will suspend operations for the day in celebration of the holiday.
A good number attended the Mohawk District Boy Scout rally in the Orange High School gymnasium for Cub, Scouts and Air Scouts. Scouts were present from Athol, Orange and Royalston, and staged demonstrations.
Draft boards were ordered to review immediately the cases of 1,700,000 deferred farm workers and cancel the deferments of those not contributing their share of production on the light of increased crop goals for 1944. Selective Service announced that boards are not expected to continue to defer a farm worker unless he produces “by his own personal and direct effort” at least 16 “war units” a year.