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General History
The town of Moretown was chartered on June 7, 1763,
said charter being granted by King George the Third through Governor
Benning Wentworth of New Hampshire. Rental was imposed of one
ear of Indian corn per year for ten years, payable on December
25.
The original grant contained six square miles of land and had
23,040 acres. It is a mountainous area, well watered by numerous
streams and springs. The Mad River is the principal water course.
This river originates in Granville Gulf at a spot some old-timers
know as "Puddle-Dock." The Mad River runs through the
entire length of the town and empties into the Winooski River
south of the power plant near Middlesex. Another sizable stream
is Jones Brook, with its tributaries, the Ward and Herring Brooks.
Old records also state that Moretown once boasted several good
mineral springs.
The actual settlement of the town commenced about 1790. In that
year Ebenezer Haseltine came from Lunenburgh, Massachusetts, and
began to clear a farm on the Winooski River about one and one-half
miles from the Duxbury town line. He found that he had a neighbor,
Seth Munson, who had preceded him. This area, which is on route
2, is known as the Rock Bridge section of Moretown. Prior to these
settlers, the Indians evidently used this area because excavations
have unearthed arrowheads and stone hatchets. In addition, the
Winooski River was one of the routes used by the St. Francis Indians
when raiding settlements in southern Vermont and central Massachusetts.
When the Indians were on their way to burn Royalton, they camped
on the meadow owned by Ebenezer Haseltine. According to some records,
the land near the Palisades, which were destroyed by the 1927
flood, was part of the possessions of Ira Allen, a prominent Vermonter.
Some of the earliest settlers in Moretown were the Haseltines,
the Munsons, the Holts, the Howeses, the Lovejoys, the Evans,
the Fosters, the Childs, the Beldings, the Heaths, the Bulkeleys,
the Kinsleys, the Hayletts, and the Lees. Descendants of many
of these families still reside here.
Moretown has the distinction of being the only town in the United
States by that name. It is said that when Washington County was
being formed and maps were being made of the townships, a large
parcel of land was found to be left over, so it was called "More-town." Because
of its mountainous geography, the town is divided into several
neighborhoods, which prevented building any large village
within its borders. Moretown Village is in the southwest corner
of the town. The so-called Rock Bridge district is in the northwestern
part. Jones Brook is in the northeastern area, and Cox Brook
is
in the southeastern part of town. Other areas are known as Cobb
Hill, Moretown Common, South Hill, Lynch Hill, and the Taplin
and Flanagan areas.
Town records of March 9, 1792, show that Joseph and Ebenezer Haseltine,
Seth Munson, and David Parcher petitioned Justice of the Peace
Richard Holden of Waterbury to call a meeting of the voters of
Moretown. This first town meeting was held at the home of Joseph
Haseltine for the purpose of electing officers of the town. Later
on, town meetings were held on Moretown Common when the center
of population seemed to have moved into that area. In 1832 it
was voted to move the town meetings to the "Hollow," which
is the present Moretown Village. The Town Hall was started by
subscription about that time and is still in use.
The Common area played an important part in local history, with
a church, a school, and the community ovens, where it was the
custom of the women to gather one day a week to do their baking.
As houses improved, the baking was done at home in ovens near
the fireplace. Before it was remodeled, the house to the right
of the present Post Office contained one such oven. This is the
oldest house in the village. The oldest house in town was the
Haseltine house in the Rock Bridge area near the Duxbury town
line. This house is no longer there. I believe it was moved out
of town and has been restored.
Some of the first settlers used a stump-mill for grinding corn.
This mill was made by burning a large cavity in the top of a solid
stump. Corn was placed in the cavity and was ground to meal by
pounding it with a huge pestle. Many of the farmers, however,
took their corn down the Winooski River to a mill in Burlington.
They carried both skiff and corn past Bolton Falls, apparently
preferring the easier watercourse to the rough and rugged road
to Montpelier.
The population of the town in 1791 was 24. By 1860 it reached
a peak of 1410. In 1925 it had decreased to 930. Gradually over
the years it has increased again, and by 1980 the population was
1221. The town has kept growing slowly with retired people and
young families moving in. Many of the younger people commute to
other towns to their employment. The first birth in town was probably
Polly Phemia Munson. The first death was Paul Knapp, killed by
a falling tree.
Floods
In the very early 1800s an unusual cloudburst occurred in the
Jones Brook area, It lasted about half an hour but caused severe
devastation. It poured through homes, swept away shanties, trees,
logs, lumber, and everything else in its path. Oren Clark, who
owned a sawmill about one mile from the mouth of the stream, reported
hearing a deafening roar. He looked up and saw a wild sea of floodwood
and turbid water with a wall-like front ten feet high rolling
down upon himself and an employee. Both Mr. Clark and his hired
man were swept into the water. Mr. Clark was able to save himself
by grasping a tree branch, but the hired man was drowned.
In both 1830 and 1869 severe freshets occurred, doing much damage,
especially along the Mad River. But the greatest damage from the
river occurred in the 1927 flood of November 3 and 4. Both the
Mad River and the Winooski River rose to unheard of heights in
a matter of twenty-four hours, flooding everything in their paths.
Damage in Moretown was extensive. Five lives were lost as well
as many farm animals and livestock. In addition, thirty-eight
bridges were swept away, and many roads were completely destroyed.
Houses, barns, and other buildings were washed downstream, and
nearly all remaining structures were flooded with several feet
of water. One dam was carried away, and thousands of feet of lumber
and acres of meadow land were lost. In the Rock Bridge district,
the Palisades, a lovely scenic spot on the Winooski River, was
completely destroyed. A more detailed description of the 1927
flood can be found in a booklet compiled by Lydia (joss Billings
for the Moretown Bicentennial of 1963.
Again much damage occurred during the 1938 hurricane. Water covered
the floor of the bridge just south of the village, washing out
one end. Trees were blown down, roads washed out, much lumber
lost, and homes and farmland flooded. Other lesser damage has
occurred through the years. The Mad River, usually a quite placid
stream, is well named because it can rise to destructive heights
in a matter of a few hours after heavy rains or when the ice breaks
up in the spring. Residents have learned to keep a careful watch
on this river.
Industries and Services
During the mid-nineteenth century there were a great number of
businesses and services in the various sections of town.
In Moretown Village there was a harness shop, a tin shop, a carriage
shop, a livery stable, a blacksmith shop, a general store, a
hardware store, a dressmaker, a hotel, a cider mill, a gristmill, lumber
and clapboard mills, a wheelwright, a creamery, and a distillery
for making whiskey. This distillery was owned by a Mr. Stevens
in 1882, and it was noted in old records that his death two years
later was "a great loss to the town." There were also
two doctors, a lawyer, an undertaker, a school, a church, and
a post office.
The lumber industry was an important part of Moretown's economy.
Two or three sawmills, a buttertub factory, and a cider mill were
located on Jones Brook. A lumber mill and a clapboard mill were
located on the Winooski River opposite Middlesex.
A box shop and gristmill owned by Hiram 0. Ward in the village
was the forerunner of the Ward Lumber Company. These mills employed
a majority of the families residing in the village and some from
surrounding areas. Owning thousands of acres of forest land, the
company also provided work for loggers and truckers. In the 1920s
the Ward Lumber Company began an extensive reforestation program
which continued until the property was sold. This practice replenished
the forest and protected the water tables. During school vacations,
students were hired to prune the young trees or to work at other
simple tasks around the mills. Many young people earned their
spending money or saved toward further education in this way.
These mills were subject to much damage through the years. The
flood of 1927 caused extensive damage to all the mills and the
loss of thousands of feet of lumber. In 1936 the lower mill was
completely destroyed by fire, the work of an arsonist. It was
rebuilt shortly afterward. In 1955 another fire destroyed the
upper mill at the south end of the village. A modern facility
was built just across the road from the original site. This building
was later sold and renovated into the present Mill Restaurant.
Still another fire in 1960 again destroyed the lower
mill. After this latest disaster, the mill operations, except
for the clapboard mill, which is the only remaining mill still
in operation in the village, were moved to Waterbury, Vermont,
in 1960. Operations continued there until 1969 when the mills
in Waterbury and 27,000 acres of land in fourteen towns were sold
to Laird Properties.
Farming was the main source of livelihood through
the 1800s and the early to mid 1900s. The farms were small, but
except for staples like sugar and flour, nearly all food, including
meat, was raised on the farm. The women were hardy, doing all
the baking, sewing, and often helping out in the fields and with
other farm chores. Some lumbering and maple sugarmaking added
to the farmers' incomes. Now there are only five or six operating
farms in town. These farms are much larger, with a big dairy herd
and modern barns, farm machinery, and other equipment.
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There were at
least three power plants in Moretown. One was located
in so-called Lovers' Lane and was destroyed in the 1927 flood.
Two others were located on the Moretown-Middlesex Road. One of
these was located near the old Casey Bridge and was managed for
a great many years by Walter Brooks, who is now eighty-nine years
old. Although it ceased operation sometime in the 1950s, the dam
is still there and is owned by two young Moretown men, Rick Hungerford
and Chris Dryland, who have applied for permits to rebuild the
plant and produce power to sell to other electric companies. The
third power plant was built in 1896 at Middlesex Gorge and is
still in operation. These plants furnished electricity for many
surrounding towns and were a good source of tax revenue for Moretown.
The creamery, located in the village, was in operation until the
mid 1930s and was managed by Birney Griffith. Many farmers sold
their milk and cream there. Butter was made and sold at this creamery,
and also fresh cream could be obtained there. A spring on this
property furnished the creamery with ice-cold water. The foundation
of this building is still in existence.
The Eastern Magnesia Talc Company, which opened in 1911, was an
important industry in the Rock Bridge area. About thirty-five
people were employed there, coming from Duxbury and Waterbury
as well as Moretown. The talc was used for powder, insecticides,
and paints. The company also owned two other mines in other parts
of Vermont. In 1961, when talc was being converted to liquid instead
of powder, this plant was closed because the source of the talc,
being about one mile from the mill, caused the mill operation
to become too expensive. This was a great loss to that area of
the town.
The first physician was Dr. Stephen Pierce. He was followed by
Dr. Lester Kinsley, who settled here in 1827. Dr. Kinsley also
served as postmaster, town representative, and town clerk, holding
that position until his death in 1881. Dr. James Haylett came
to Moretown in 1889. He also represented the town in the legislature
and was town clerk for many years.
The first town clerk was Seth Munson, elected in 1792. The town
clerk's office was usually a room in the home of the current officer.
In 1956 a town clerk's office was built. Within a few years, more
space was needed to store increasing amounts of records and to
afford a meeting place for the town officers, so in 1975 a sizable
addition was built. The present town clerk, Mrs. Bernadette Ferris,
has held that position for the past twenty-six years.
The first U.S. Post Office in Moretown was established in 1826,
and Ira Carpenter was the first postmaster. Prior to this date,
starting in 1818, postal service through the Mad River Valley
was by stagecoach from Rochester to Montpelier twice a week. There
was also mail service via a stage line from North Fayston to Moretown
and from Waitsfield to Moretown and Middlesex. At first, the postmasters
worked out of their homes. Later on, space in the Wilcox General
Store and the Ward Lumber Company General Store was used. A considerable
amount of growth has occurred in the last twenty years: there
were about 60 post office boxes rented in 1963, and there are
now 124 rentals. The rural route was established in 1903 and has
been extended many times. There were 200 rural route boxes in
1963, and there are now 387 boxes. Milo White was mail carrier
for thirty-two years, retiring in 1960. Harold Perry is the present
rural carrier, and Gertrude Murphy is the present postmaster.
In 1873 Lilla Bulkeley Haylett, wife of Dr. James Haylett and
a member of the Moretown Dramatic Club, began a fund to start
a library in the village. The sum of $26.00, netted from a play,
was left to accrue interest, and by 1904 had grown to $89.70.
An association was formed, and an additional sum of money was
raised by popular subscription. This money, along with a $100
gift of books from the state, was the start of the library.
From 1904 to 1915 there were two separate sections in the library.
One was known as the Free Library where books were loaned at no
cost. The other was the Public Library where patrons paid yearly
dues. Located in the old Ward Lumber Company office building,
the library functioned until 1919 when it was closed because of
financial problems and inadequate quarters. By this time the Public
Library had sold out to the Free Library. However, over a period
of five years, Mrs. Haylett wrote to friends, relatives, and former
town residents who had moved to other parts of the country, and
she stressed the need for funds. The response was gratifying,
and the present building was purchased in 1924 for the sum of
$450. Extensive renovations were made, and it reopened in 1925.
It was then renamed The Moretown Memorial Library because most
of the donations were made in memory of loved ones and friends.
The present librarian, Mrs. Norma Kingsbury, has held that position
for several years.
The Moretown Volunteer Fire Department was first organized in
1957. At that time the town voted to buy an old Jeep four-wheel
drive truck. The first firehouse was a small shop owned by Bill
Blair and located between what is now the town clerk's office
and the Grandfield house. In 1958 the firemen raised money to
buy an old Maxim fire truck for $400. At the first recorded meeting
in May 1958 the officers were elected: Richard Hayes, fire chief;
George Hurdle, assistant chief; Royce Farnsworth, finance officer;
Carroll Williams, secretary; Douglas Reagan, Norman Grandfield,
and Adrian Ferris, ways and means. Other charter members were
Glenn Ferris, Raymond Farnsworth, Meridan Nelson, Oswell Goss,
Bernard Reagan, Robert Horsman, Carlos Nelson, and Eugene Grandfield,
making a total of fifteen members. The department now has twenty-five
members. The present fire chief is Randy Grandfield.
In 1959 the town voted to buy a new fire truck, a Ford Pumper.
An addition was built onto the shop to house the new truck, but
there was still no room to do the maintenance work. So in 1962
the town voted to build a new firehouse on land that had been
donated by the Ward Lumber Company. The new building was painted
by the firemen. In 1966 the department acquired a 1966 Mack truck,
which they converted to a water tanker. The town bought a new
Ford pumper in 1980, and the department also has a four-wheel
drive van for rescue work.
The firemen have had many fundraising projects through the years,
such as suppers, dances, bingo, auctions, birthday calendars,
and money drops. They have bought a great deal of fire equipment
with these funds at no cost to the town. The department has a
special phone line on which they can be notified of fires. They
also have two-way radios in three of the vehicles, plus small
scanners for the men to carry. The men spend many hours cleaning
chimneys, doing controlled burning, hauling water, filling swimming
pools, and so on. Moretown is very fortunate to have a well-equipped
fire department and the services of these dedicated volunteers.
Churches
When a group of people settle an area, there usually is a compelling
need to establish a place of worship. The early settlers of Moretown
apparently felt this need, for in the early 1800s a Congregational
Church was organized in town. Meetings were first held in a log
schoolhouse and later in the Town Hall in the village. Between
1836 and 1840 the membership became so small that it merged with
the Congregational Church in South Duxbury.
The first minister in town was probably Amasa Cole, who lived
near Middlesex. He gathered people together on Moretown Common.
A preacher, Joshua Luce, who came from Pittsfield, Massachusetts,
settled in Moretown in 1809. He started a Methodist class within
the so-called Barre Circuit. Several other ministers held services
in various homes or locations until the first Methodist Church
was built on Moretown Common in 1832. A new church building was
built in the village in 1853, and this church still serves the
town under the Troy Conference Jurisdiction.
In 1922 several of the faithful stewards of the
church decided the building was showing the ravages of too many
years of hard use. Not just church sessions, but Sunday School,
Epworth League meetings, Christmas tree celebrations, and other
group meetings were held there. That summer, meetings were held
in the Town Hall so that renovations could be completed. All new
pews were installed as well as new areas for the choir and chancel.
The unusual feature of the remodeling was that the lumber for
the work was taken from the birch trees on the Ward Lumber Company
land in the town. This lumber was sent to Burlington for the carpentry
work and then installed.
In the past 100-plus years the church has been repaired, remodeled,
and cared for many times. Heating and lighting have been modernized
and the necessary repairs made. As recently as this year, 1982,
the church has been renovated, largely by a group of young members
doing much of the work themselves but with special monetary gifts
of others. However, as continual care of painting and additions
are made, the basic native foundation remains. The present pastor,
Rev. Herman Benjamin, who also serves the Middlesex Methodist
Church, lives with his wife and children in Moretown in the parsonage.
The first Catholic Church in Moretown was built
in 1857 and was located on South Hill in the area of the Catholic
cemetery where the cross now stands. The original steps to the
church can still be seen. Land was deeded to the Roman Catholic
Society by J. P. Miller and Peter Lee of Montpelier in 1841. A
Captain Charles McCarty, who owned the house where Mrs. D. Strickland
now lives, and other prominent residents of South Hill gave money
to have a church built and a cemetery established on that land.
Prior to the building of that church, Father O'Callaghan, the
first resident priest in the state of Vermont, offered the first
mass in Moretown on a flat rock in the pasture of the former Reagan
Farm on South Hill. A marker to commemorate this event was placed
there in the 1920s.
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Most of the early
Catholic families who settled in Moretown were Irish immigrants who
came to this country in the mid 1800s. They purchased land on
South Hill, or "Paddy Hill" as it was sometimes called.
Some of the early settlers were the Murrays, the Hogans, the
Cavys,
the Farrals, the Devines, the Flanagans, the Murphys, the McCartys,
the Lees, the Costellos, the Caseys, the Donahues, the Keltys,
the Hassetts, the Lynches, and the Kerins. Descendants of these
families can still be found here and in nearby towns. Children
of these families attended a school on South Hill just across
from the Gove Farm turn. Parts of the foundation of the school
can still be found there.
The northeast corner of the cemetery where the church
was located was the burial place of the Irish Catholic workers
on the Central Vermont Railroad, which was being built at that
time. Many of these workers died in the diphtheria epidemic of
the 1870s and were placed in unmarked graves. It was said that
the bodies were brought from Northfield in the night to be buried
because of the fear of this dread disease.
Father O'Callaghan, along with later priests, Father Dollet, Father
Druon, Father Duglue, and Father Galligan traveled through the
state visiting the missions. Father Galligan came to Waterbury
in 1869 and served there as well as in Moretown and Northfield.
In 1879 the Catholic Society began to think about building a new
church in Moretown Village. Part of the property of Dr. Haylett
was purchased by Francis Hassett, and he in turn deeded this property
to Bishop DeGoesbriand of the Burlington Diocese. In 1822, through
the efforts of Father Galligan, the present St. Patrick's Church
was either built on this piece of property or the former church
was moved from South Hill. The records are unclear at this point.
Some say the original church burned down. Another story has it
that parts of the church were moved. And others claim that the
whole church was moved. At any rate, there was now a church in
Moretown Village to serve the Catholic community of South Duxbury,
Fayston, Waitsfield, and Warren. The beautiful stained glass windows
of the church were given by, or in memory of, the original settlers.
Many familiar family names can be found on these windows.
St. Patrick's became a permanent mission of the Waterbury parish,
and mass was offered only once a month during the early 1900s.
In the 1930s, with the help of priests from St. Michael's College
assisting on Sundays, mass was offered every week. About 1954
Father Louis Logue became a curate at St. Andrew's in Waterbury,
and he came to say mass nearly every Sunday. It was during this
period that the Mad River Valley began to grow and become one
of major ski areas in the Fast. There was a real need to expand
the church facilities to serve the many newcomers. At first, Father
Logue arranged to offer mass at the Base Box at Mad River Glen.
Then, through his efforts, interest was aroused among other skiers
and lodge owners, and plans were made to build a church in the
Waitsfield area to serve these part-time residents and visitors
as well as local people, It was evident that the Base Box and
St. Patrick's could no longer accommodate them. So in 1965 Our
Lady of the Snows Church was built in Waitsfield. This church,
along with St. Patrick's, became a separate parish from Waterbury.
Father Raymond Adams was the first pastor, followed by Father
William Morgan, Father Donald Ravey, and the present pastor, Father
Michael Madden, who came in 1977.
While Father Adams was pastor. St. Patrick's sanctuary was renovated.
Gerald Grady did most of the work. The old altar was removed and
replaced by the present one, which came from the Von Trapp family.
It was once in their private chapel in the Trapp Family Lodge
in Stowe, and Mr. and Mrs. Werner Von Trapp were married at this
altar. When the family no longer had need of the altar, they offered
it to any church that could use it, and Father Adams was glad
to have it. Mr. Grady made the lectern and cross in the sanctuary.
While Father Morgan was pastor, it was found that the foundation
of the church was unsafe. During the repair work in 1969, services
were held in the Town Hall for many weeks. Later when services
were resumed in the church, it was also found that the steeple
was unsafe, and it was taken down. A new steeple was put in
place
in September 1977. The room behind the altar, called "Pat's
Parlor" after Patricia Chant who did most of the work, was
installed in the spring of 1977 for use as a library and for
prayer
meetings. Extensive renovations of St. Patrick's took place during
the Holy Week of 1978. The entire interior, lighting, and altar
screen were updated. A new furnace was installed in 1978. At
the
present time major repair work is being done on the foundation.
When this repair work is completed, St. Patrick's will be in
good
condition to serve the Catholic community for many years.
It is important to note that the Catholic Church and the Methodist
Church are situated only two buildings apart in Moretown Village.
The Methodist Church is helping in the celebration of the Centennial.
There is mutual respect and cooperation in every social and civic
way as members of both churches pursue their faith in their chosen
ways.
More Interesting Facts
In 1860 a sluice was built to pan gold and was located on a brook
opposite the former home of Walter Brooks. Apparently this venture
was not very successful.
In the early 1900s there was a military band in town with twenty-five
or more members. A bandstand was located where the Girard de Carlo
family now lives. Some of the members were Will Johnson. Carrol
Pierce, Pet Griffith, Frank and Roy Atkins, the Armstrong boys,
and Charles Goss.
Moretown has furnished its quota to the military services. The
list of those serving in the Revolution, the War of 1812, and
the Mexican War of 1847 is not complete. More information is available
for the Civil War and the Spanish-American War. World Wars 1 and
11 and the Korean and Vietnam conflicts have complete records
available. A monument in front of the Methodist Church commemorates
these men and women who served their country.
Moretown Village today has two restaurants, a snack bar, two stores,
a ministore and coffee shop, a service garage, a post office,
a real estate office, a tool shop, a laundromat, a greenhouse,
a fire department, a clapboard mill, a consolidated school, a
library, a Town Hall, a town clerk's office, and two churches.
Two or three tourist homes offer accommodations all year, although
they cater especially to skiers. Many new homes have been built
as well as a multiunit apartment complex on the Moretown Common
Road. Similar development has taken place in all other neighborhoods
in the town. A housing complex for senior citizens is located
near the Duxbury town line on Route 2.
Although Moretown, located on the outskirts of the Sugarbush and
Mad River Glen ski areas, has not had the rapid growth of the
other Valley towns, it has nevertheless grown slowly but steadily
during the past fifteen years. Many young families have located
here and are showing great interest in town affairs and in the
heritage of the town. And after all, the most important resource
of any town is its people.
Schools
Schools in Moretown have figured prominently in the development
of the town. The first school was in the Rock Bridge area. Eight
grades were in the same room and were taught by one teacher. In
1888 there were eleven school districts supporting twelve schools
in Moretown, and the total enrollment was 226 pupils. The salary
was $6.67 a week for a male teacher, and female teachers earned
$4.31 a week. The total spent for all school purposes for that
year was $1571.31. In addition to the school in Rock Bridge, there
was one school located in each of the following districts: South
Hill, Cox Brook on the Northfield Road, Jones Brook, the Taplin
district near Middlesex, the Flanagan district on the Moretown-Middlesex
Road, and the Village. There were two schools on Moretown Common.
The school in the Village had two rooms and two teachers, and
all the other schools had all eight grades in one room with one
teacher. In the early years the teachers boarded in the homes
of the families of the children they taught.
In spite of the efforts of the State Department of Education to
keep and upgrade these local rural schools, the parents wanted
for their children better opportunities, the competition of more
children, separate grades, and so forth. They began to think about
consolidating all the local schools into one larger school. And
so in 1960 the Village school was remodeled and an addition built
to incorporate all of Moretown's students.
Up to 1966 those children wishing to go on to high school had
to furnish their own transportation to other towns because there
was no secondary school in Moretown. However, the town did pay
the tuition to the receiving high school. Then in 1966 Harwood
Union High School opened after much effort and planning by the
six area towns, including Moretown. The seventh and eighth grades
were also moved to the new high school, and the six lower grades
remained in the Village school. In recent years a kindergarten
has been added to the Village school.
The 1981 elementary school enrollment was 121, there were 3 children
in special education, and 92 children attended Harwood Union High
School. This made a total school enrollment of 216.
I would like to thank the following people for their help
in compiling this booklet: Aline Ward, Bernadette Ferris, Beatrice
Eastman, Norma Kingsbury, Peggy Boyce, Evelyn Goss, Alice DeLong,
Corky Griffith, and Mary Alice Edmonds. -M.R.
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