This year, it was intended that the high school

This year, it was intended that the high school band play the Star Spangled Banner and other songs under the direction of Miss Kathy Hewitt on the speaker system at Avon Hall. Members of the band present were: Didi Salmon, Leslie Nichols, Dwight Parker, David Fisher and Sean Wayland. Just as they came to the mikes a cloud of rain burst upon them and they headed to shelters. I must say regretably that it was our loss that this year the band did not play. I only ask that they practice hard, build up their band and next year, just maybe they can play like thunder.

A great disappointment was the cancellation of the foot races for children under 12. This has been an annual event on the Fourth for many years with over a hundren children competing for cash prizes. The rain caused a change in schedules allowing the colonial encampment to finish early, and that was the cause of the cancellation. We will see that that will not happen next year. Sorry you 12-year-olds missed out.

It is important that school children who have achieved exceptional honors in the last year by publicly recognized on the day of independence. Natalie Butler was to deliver a statement about the high school achievers and the names of those honored by their teachers for exceptional work on the speaker system at Avon Hall. Just as she came forth to do this the crowd began to take shelter from the rain. I asked her to wate a little for the crowd to return. However, the rain lasted too long and we had to proceed with the final part of the program with community singing and fireworks.

There were other cuts in the evening program, but few noticed. Wakefield School of Huntly had part (the junior part) of their Colonial Marching players do a trip across the field led by the strong beat of Wakefield’s drummers. They were dressed in colonial dress, boys and girls, all 10 of them.