Bethel(Don)

Hey, we’re all 60 again

Gould Academy Class of 1952 thoroughly enjoyed our 60th year reunion this weekend along with all the other grads who gathered at the Gould campus. Although the weather was not the best, everyone seemed to be having a good time.

Fourteen members of our class were able to make it to Bethel. After Friday's dinner and Saturday’s lunch at Ordway Hall along with the parade of classes, Kathy and I finished up scurrying around getting our house ready for Saturday evening’s Class of ’52 get-together and dinner.

Our class agent, Jan Lord Mott, a once upon a time resident of Mason Street, Bethel, and now a resident of Cary, N.C, spent a lot of time and effort getting notifications out and making up a memorial “wall” of our 20 clas mates who had passed way. Jan also read her notes of replies from those who had responded but had been unable to come. Marilyn Mace King read a letter from classmate Phyllis Walker Farrington. Kathy Knowles Suminsby from Northeast Harbor, Maine came with blue and gold GA visors which she had made up especially for the weekend. Fred Smith brought a bulletin board of photos taken of students and events at Gould from 1948-1952. Jan Mott also laid out a collection of “scrapbook” photos from the years at Gould.

Sandra Stowell Seaver handled the dinner arrangements with a perfect meal from the Good Food Store Catering Service – Deb Webster did an extra fine job as server of the evening. However, everyone was so busy talking it took an extra shout to get people to stop talking and understand that dinner was ready.

Kathy Suminsby also made up a beautiful “A Time to Remember” folder for everyone to keep as a reminder of our departed classmates. As the evening’s finale Kathy conducted a remembrance service where all of us could tell of what we remembered most about each individual. For each classmate Kathy planted a peach-colored rose in a memorial garden basket as each person was remembered.

Those attending were: Phyllis Smith Cross, Marilyn Mace King, Keith and Sally Wilson, Kathryn Wilson Payn, Roger and Nancy Adams, Phil Lovejoy, Fred O. Smith II, Sandra Stowell Seaver, Kathryn Knowles Suminsby, Earl Fletcher, Janice Lord Mott, Jan’s son and daughter, Roger and Cathy, Arnold Jordan, Patricia Rolfe Newman, Jane Edwards, Donald and Kathy Bennett

Gould Academy Alumni Weekend

For many of the Gould alumni returning to Bethel for this year’s Alumni Reunion weekend, it was a chance to meet the new Head of School, Matthew Ruby and his wife Kathy.

This year the Class of 1962 celebrated the distinction of being the big Five Oh class. Emerson Merrill, Stanley Howe, Mark Bennett and Charles Newell are names you might recognize as being members of this class.

It falls on the shoulders of the President of the Alumni Board to be master of ceremonies of the various weekend alumni assemblies that take place in the Clough Dining Room of Ordway Hall and the Remembrance Ceremony at the Bell Tower. James Bennett is the current president.

For 23 years LTC James Bennett was the Director of Music at Norwich University. He led the oldest collegiate military band in the country which took part in three inaugural parades during the time LTC Bennett was director.

At Saturday’s alumni luncheon, Gould Academy’s Alumni Award was presented to Ann Hastings Morton by Alumni Board President James Bennett. The other notable attendee brought up for special recognition was Edna York who was born in 1909 and graduated from Gould in 1927.

23rd Jeep Jamboree

Common sight on Bethel’s Common Thursday afternoon was Jeeps – lots of Jeeps. Talking with Mitzi Naples as the Jeeps pulled in she told me that the Bethel Inn was filled for the weekend. Jim Diebel, who was the Inn’s first manager after Dick Rasor bought the Inn in 1979, had called to see about coming for the weekend and had to be told that there was no room at the Inn.

Lee Auto Sales met the arrivals this year with a hospitality tent and gadget table in front of the Bethel Inn Conference Center. Jim Bennett told me that this year’s trail riding schedule would cover most of northern Oxford County – we watched Jeepers going north by our place most of the weekend.

Jeep Jamboree and Gould Academy alumni weekend campers filled Bethel Outdoor Adventure’s campground this weekend. Patti Parsons said that the Jeepers loved it here, and Monday two bus tours were in to Dig for Maine Gems, so the weekend tourist business was definitely up in Bethel.

Potato harvest time

Last week Sunday River Farms finished digging potatoes in our small field but with some weed difficulties. Weeds choked the take-away conveyor of one digger so that the machine had to be stopped and weeds pulled out by hand. David McCrum said that this summer’s weather pattern of rainy periods and then long, dry sunny periods seemed to have created extra heavy weed growth pretty much over all of Oxford County.

Follow the Crowd

Sun Journal news Sept. 27 reported that the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce was moving into new quarters at the Farmington Wal-Mart. Article also noted the reason for moving was the Chamber was faced with expenses of nearly $9,000 a month. However it was noted that Franklin’s chamber would continue to pay rent for its space in a C.N. Brown building. For the immediate future anyway Farmington area residents will be able to shop and visit their chamber of commerce office all under one roof.