"A Century of Service”

 

On Saturday, April 21, 2018, the Historical Society of Temple presented "A Century of Service,” paying tribute to five dedicated volunteers  who among them had given the society more than a hundred years ~left to right: Dave Repak, Pat Lee, Anne Lunt, Arnie Thibodeau

(missing: Ruth Quinn)

Questions from the audience and from each other prompted the honorees to share their expe-riences and stories ~~

Organizing “New Hampshire Glassmakers,” the ground-breaking collaborative exhibit at the Peterborough Historical Society, was the most rewarding venture of Anne’s presidency. Speaking for Ruthie, she cited supplying refreshments (no sur-prise!). Arnie and Pat both reminisced about the relocation of School House No. 6 — Pat also singled out special projects like the Antiques Toys exhibit. Dave described the revitalization of the glassworks.

This question prompted several stories that brought mingled gasps and laughter.

Arnie described the “misunderstanding" following the 2001 auction, when rec-ords showed income discrepancies on at least 15 or 20 items. “The more we 

examined the figures, the worse things looked.” There was a gap of several hundred dollars between the reported net profit figure and the $6,000 the auction officially brought in.

 

Ruth’s misadventure as treasurer concerned a 25-cent discrepancy in the black. “Let’s go to Silver Ranch and buy an ice-cream cone,”the auditor suggested.

 

Anne, who edited the 1976 Bicentennial history of Temple, confessed to a potential disaster when Jim Haddix asked about the opening chapter (of which there was no copy).“We found Chapter One in my incinerator, charred but not completely de-stroyed.” Most of the contents survived, and Jim managed to reconstruct the rest.

 

On an excursion with Temple fourth-graders to the glassworks site Dave found a man digging in the dirt, a pile of glass fragments and rubble by his side. The looter scrambled to his feet and was sent on his way without his booty. 

 

Dave described the search when rumors of burial mounds at the site swept the town. “According to legend, gold treasure was buried nearby, so excitement ran high. Sure enough, we found several mounds covered with stones.” David Star-buck, co-director of the 1970s archaeological dig, had the answer: “We had 

to put the stones somewhere, so we piled them here.” 

 

No dead bodies, no buried treasure.

 

The society started a fund to purchase the 1820 schoolhouse in 1974. Pat and Arnie were in accord about the timetable, but had differing recollections as to costs, ranging from Pat’s figure of $10,000 for the move to Arnie’s $60,000. They settled on $5,000 for the purchase, $20,000 for the move, and $60,000 for renovations. A precious little building indeed!

Ruthie’s response was emphatic —“We need a building!”  Members of the au-dience wholeheartedly agreed to getting a home for the collection. Anne offered to match do-nations made by April 30 to the Priscilla Weston Capital Fund up to $500, leading to a total of more than $2,000 in new donations.

Honey Hastings presented each honoree with a glass paperweight (see above photo). 

The gathering then became a celebration party, with much of the refreshments generously donated by DeMoulas Super Markets, Inc. (Market Basket) — veggies and  chips with dips, cheese and crackers, sandwiches, fruit, and punch, plus a sheet cake (top photo).

The Historical Society of Temple is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation under the Internal Revenue Code, and donations to the PW Fund are fully tax deductible. Please make out checks to The Historical Society of Temple — PW Capital Fund and mail them to Treasur-er, PO Box 114, Temple 03084.