Chester’s Alumni parade was held June 10 under favorable skies. Jon Clark and the Alumni Association did another great job. It’s all done by volunteers.
As usual, I walked in the parade dressed in my Civil War uniform, representing the Class of 69. I noticed my uniform shrank over the winter.
The parade began on Elm Street, up Depot Street, and down to Main Street. Along the way, people sitting in lawn chairs or on their porches waved. By the time we got down to Chester Hardware, the crowd had increased.
I saw many people I knew along the way. Along Main Street, from the library to the park were the most spectators.
The parade isn’t as large as days gone by, but it’s still a great small town event. The Ludlow Color Guard led the parade as they have for years. The school band, a tractor, fire trucks from Chester and Proctorsville, older classes in cars with their year affixed, and several floats. The parade ended at Cobleigh Field where floats were judged.
Prizes
First place went to the Class of 1983 for their float, “Wheel of Fortune.” Second place went to the Class of 1970 for “Grease.” Third place went to the Class of 1973 for “Mash.”
Special thanks to Sophomore Basil McDonald for serving food at the banquet. Thanks too, to freshman Anna Bennet for singing the national anthem. She did an excellent job. And, thanks to the Class of 2023 for having a float. They were handed a check for $100.
Shep Brown
My classmate Tom Petraska came out into the street from the park to shake my hand, and tell me our classmate Shep Brown was in the gazebo. Shep and I waved. I doubled back. It’s been over 50 years since we have seen each other. Shep and I quickly caught up and recalled days gone by.
I reminded Shep of a 1969 wrestling match at Chester High School. I don’t remember what led to the match, but this is a true account.
Mr. Mello was our phys-ed teacher. Somehow, Shep and Mello ended up wrestling. Sitting on bleachers, we kids witnessed the wrestling match of the century. It didn’t take long for Shep to pin Mello to the mat.
I remember Shep having Mello pinned, and having hold of Mello’s thumb and bending it over backwards almost to the breaking point. Mello capitulated. Oh, he hated to, but he had no choice. This wasn’t a legal maneuver on Shep’s part, but what fun to see Shep holding Mello to the mat. Shep had an incredible grin as he held Mello down. We called Mr. Mello, “Mello Yellow,” after that. Do you remember Donovan and Mello Yellow?
The pain must have been excruciating, but the embarrassment would have been much worse. Shep was our hero.
Shep lives in Ottumwa, Iowa. He has been a taxidermist for 45 years. Check out his Alaska plane crash on his website www.taxidermybyshepbrown.com.
Hey, there’s Jerry Stewart, on the upper end of the park, about where the phone booth used to be. I always like seeing Jerry.
The Masonic Lodge
I walked by the hotdog sale at the Masonic Lodge. Andy Paczkowski was cooking hotdogs on the grill. I stopped to visit. Andy asked if he could buy me a hotdog. “No, but I’ll take the money instead,” Henry says. The Lodge has been for sale. Andy told me it was under contract.
I think most of us know how times have changed. Churches, fraternal organizations, and historical societies have lost members in recent years. Social events are on the decline.
Andy told me Covid really affected the Lodge negatively. With only five brothers attending meetings, the difficult decision to sell was made. “Where will you go?” I asked.
Andy told me Olive Branch #64 was not surrendering its charter, and would hold their meetings at the Bellows Falls Lodge. I asked Andy what the building was going to be used for. “Office space,” he said.
The Lodge was built in 1922 by Eugene Wiggins. The Masons had a long run in Chester, since 1797. It saddens me to see them go.
This week’s old saying: “Money will buy a fine dog, but only kindness will make him wag his tail.”