Looking Back: 1982
Excerpts from the Hollis Times
May 1982
May 1982 was pretty quiet in Hollis, according to the Hollis Times. There were no landmark decisions made by town boards, and no controversial issues captured citizens' interest. On May 9, 1982, however, a long-time Hollis resident and public servant, Charlie Dow, passed away at the age of 72. According to the obituary published in the May 26, 1982 Hollis Times, Charlie came to Hollis in 1925 and became a permanent resident in 1932. He was employed for 45 years by the highway department, with 25 years as road agent. He served with the Hollis Police Department for 18 years and with the Hollis Fire Department for 18 years, retiring as a captain.
Karen Bosquet wrote, "Road Agent, Fireman, Policeman and, most of all, friend. Charlie was one of the best friends Hollis has ever had. He worked always with the thought in mind to save the town money and still do the best job. Charlie was always there when needed, whether it be fixing something in the cellar for a woman who had just lost her husband, or building on a small porch for a couple who had just built a house."
June 1982
The weather was drizzly and ceremonies were forced indoors into Walters Auditorium in 1982, as 110 graduates of Hollis AREA High School received their diplomas on June 13. Ann Monius was Valedictorian of the class and Annette Dubois Salutatorian.
Beaver Brook Association held a photographic exhibit, titled Reflections of Beaver Brook, at Maple Hill Farm. The Hollis Police Benevolent Association sponsored a bike rodeo for children 6-12 years old at the Congregational Church.
July 1982
"Quest for Power," a 40-minute-long adventure film, written by and starring sixth grade enrichment students from Hollis Elementary School, was aired at the Arts and Science Center. The film, supervised, produced and directed by Guy Ferland, a HAHS sophomore, starred Josh Hornik as "a character who very much resembles James Bond," Darcy Adams as "a slinky, evil and domineering mother," and Nicky Luca as "a crazed military commander."
August 1982
Jane (Blount) Ballard died at home on August 16, at the age of 46, after an 11-year battle with cancer. Jane was very active in the Hollis schools, helping to organize the Hollis Kindergarten and the Hollis School Volunteer Program. A tribute published in the Hollis Times read: "This town of ours has traditionally been a community of contributors; neighbor helping neighbor; service to our institutions; and a commitment to a philosophy that recognizes that we are here together. Jane represents the best of these qualities."
September 1982
Amid fall events and the usual club meetings beginning after summer, an article reported that sixty-eight descendants of William Plummer Lund gathered on August 7 for the Lund Association Annual Reunion. Family members attended from seven New Hampshire towns as well as Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine, New York, Florida, and California. The oldest family member was Arthur W. Lund, age 93, of Hollis. "This year's reunion would have been the family's 75th if World War II had not interrupted the tradition. The first Lund Family Reunion was held in Hollis at Silver Lake, Morrill's Grove, on July 10th, 1908."
October 1982
Looking back at the ads in the October 1982 Hollis Times revealed fascinating prices: Kimball Fruit Farm offered Pick Your Own Macs for 25 cents a pound. Hackler Chrysler-Plymouth-Dodge advertised a brand new 1982 Plymouth Reliant for $7,200. Valicenti Realty offered a country ranch for $72,900. A spaghetti dinner at the Pizza Barn cost $2.75, and Surf and Turf at the Country Hideaway was $6.95.
The most interesting advertisement was a small classified: "Leave Your Leaves at my House. I will pay 10 cents for each well-filled trash barrel size container you deliver or 5 cents for each container I pick up at your house in the Hollis area." It was signed "Mike."
November 1982
Both November issues dealt with the very serious problem of domestic dogs attacking and killing sheep. Five of Albert Hills' sheep were killed or maimed on November 3, and on November 22 one of the three canines involved was shot and killed by police. The same dogs had also killed five sheep at the McAllister residence on Wheeler Road.
Another issue in the news was traffic problems at the Four Corners. In 1982 there was no traffic signal at the junction of routes 130 and 122 — it was installed in February of 1983.
