Requests from educators’ wish lists — media centers, computer labs, conference rooms, science labs, redesigned technical arts areas, storage, gymnasiums and more — were lined up with state guidelines at the Athol school building committee meeting. The presentation gave a first look at what new school construction and renovations could mean in terms of project size and bottom-line costs.
■David Small, president of the Athol Bird and Nature Club, updated the Athol Downtown Partnership on the status of the Greenway bike and trail project. Small said the Orange Revitalization Partnership project needs involvement by the Athol community.
■Barbara Fiske of Athol was honored by the American Legion Auxiliary during Americanism Night recently, for over 40 years of service as Girl’s State chairman.
■First Lieutenant James Richard Hunter, son of Robert and Shirley Hunter of Athol, recently graduated from the Air Force Institute of Technology, Dayton, Ohio, with a master’s of science in the area of applied physics which focused on infrared sensing technology and solid-state semiconductor device physics. His next duty base is Los Angeles Air Force Base where he will work for the Space and Missile Command developing plans for more efficient use of current and future space assets.
■Orange selectmen voted unanimously to proceed with an order of the building inspector in conjunction with razing historic Memorial Hall since no one has come forward with the $80,000 to stabilize the structure or a plan for renovations and utilization.
■Morris Metcalf of Orange spent much of the winter hauling cordwood with his horse Charlie from the Hunt Farm out next to Daniel Shays Highway. Metcalf is 82 and said Charlie is somewhere between 30 and 40, yet the two have hauled over 100 cord of wood this winter.
■Caitlin Autio, 11, daughter of Craig and Nicki Autio of Orange, has qualified for sectional competition in gymnastics. She is coached by Maureen Gamlin of Gamlin Gymnastics in Greenfield.
■The Orange Roller-skating Association recently donated $500 to the Orange Fire Department’s rescue tool replacement fund.
A modern touch was in evidence at the annual YMCA Washington’s Birthday Hatchet Hunt with use of snowmobiles for transportation of adult leaders and patrol of the hunting area. Snowmobiles were furnished by members of the Quabbin Snowmobile Club. Over 300 boys and girls participated in the event, the only one known to be conducted in the United States stressing good citizenship. Kent Roussel, 13, son of Mr. and Mrs. Romeo Roussel of Athol, found the hatchet near a cluster of birch trees.
■Miss Jacqueline A. Quirk, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter F. Quirk of Athol, is the 1971 Betty Crocker Homemaker of Tomorrow at Athol High School.
■The Athol-Royalston Regional School Committee endorsed a tentative proposal to enter into a regional vocational school agreement with the towns of Orange, Greenfield and Millers Falls, the facility to be located in the abandoned Millers Falls Tool Company buildings presently owned by the Greenfield Community College Corp.
■Orange Selectman J. Arthur MacKnight has obtained 600 signatures on petitions from Orange and New Salem residents protesting proposed changes in the county lines to be discussed at a legislative hearing. The proposal would place the two towns in a new Hampshire County with 27 other towns including Athol which are now part of Worcester County.
■Orange selectmen received a letter from Cleona Smith, secretary of General Sedgwick Women’s Relief Corps that said the organization is disbanding after many years. Mrs. Smith said property owned by the corps in the Memorial Hall kitchen will be given to the town.
■A travelogue with slides on England, Ireland and Scotland was presented to the Orange Woman’s Club at the First Universalist Church in Orange by club member Mrs. Mary MacIsaac.
■The Tully Fire Co. Auxiliary entertained their husbands at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Johnson. Nineteen members and guests were served a roast beef supper. The Johnsons showed slides of their recent trip to Germany, Switzerland and England.
■The state Department of Education has been informed that Massachusetts will lose more than $16 million in federal education aid to impacted areas if a conflict between federal and state fund distribution laws is not cleared up. The impacted area funds are allocated by the federal government to 220 Massachusetts communities to pay for the education of dependents of persons assigned to federal installations in or near those communities.
A large crowd was attracted to 254 Main St. when a large tree near the residence of Arthur H. Starrett was cut down by the Tree Department. The actual work of cutting was done in a demonstration of the power chain saw, which voters at the annual meeting next week will be asked to vote upon.
■In order to judge the demand for proposed temporary housing for veterans in Athol, the Chamber of Commerce has requested that those in need of such quarters file notice of their interest as soon as possible. The Athol Chamber has applied for 25 housing units, and an article in the warrant would enable the town to undertake the project if it is so desired. The units are of two and three-bedroom size, with plumbing and space heaters provided, and would be erected by the federal government on land provided by the town and equipped with the necessary facilities.
■The Athol Rod and Gun Club announced that petitions are being circulated to members which will be presented to the state legislature, urging a favorable vote on House Bill 1272, which would allow the public to hunt and fish in the Quabbin watershed, now closed by order of the Metropolitan District Commission.
■Athol is fortunate in not having brawls and free-for-alls over the sales of nylon hosiery. The OPA’s goal is six pairs of nylons by next July for every woman in the country.
■William Garbose, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Garbose of Athol, was one of three Worcester County residents who were announced as having passed the bar examinations and will be recommended for admission to practice law. Before joining the Army, Garbose was employed at Washington, D.C. in the Department of Justice. He was Captain in World War II.
■The Orange High School auditorium was filled when the seniors presented their comedy-mystery, “The Green Light.”
■Resolving to help local farmers in regard to the local and nationwide grain situation, members of the Petersham Agricultural Association drew up a statement of policy to be sent to Representatives John W. Heselton of Deerfield and Christian Herter of Boston, and to Senators David I. Walsh and Leverett Saltonstall. The statement said, in part, “We believe that any effort to increase the flow of grain to the Northeast should be aimed at increasing supply without adding to cost of New England farmers.”