Our names — friends from birth until graduates of Hardwick Academy — Clare Mary Robb and Joyce Ann Slayton were printed in the newborns section of the Hardwick Gazette in August of 1933. As were all the students of Hardwick Academy at their birth. And once again, I remember being cited in the Hardwick Gazette when I caught the first brook trout reported to the Gazette on May 1, 1943, in the Bridgman Brook.
The Gazette has been and always will be my first understanding of what a local newspaper is. When I went away to college, everyone on my floor of the dormitory looked forward to me reading them the “Local Lumps” from the Gazette: “Mrs. Gerald Ladd and Mrs.John Hall went over to the home of Mrs. George Slayton for tea on Monday after dinner — until the children came home from school.”
And sports. If there was ever a basketball town, it was Hardwick in the 1930s-1950s. Starting with junior high school teams, to both girls and boys High School teams, to Town Teams. Hardwick had the best gym around.
I am so looking forward to those “Local Lumps,” or whatever name is put on the activities of our Hardwick people and our sports events cited in the Gazette as the Gazette marches forward.
Lucky us!! We have a local newspaper!! Thank you publisher and sponsors!
Joyce Slayton Mitchell
New York City
