Years ago

A look back throughthe pages of the Stowe Reporter   

Browsing through Stowe’s top headlines from 1988 — a quarter-century ago — it’s striking to see how many familiar names and issues come up that still make local headlines today.

But it’s also striking to observe how much has changed in the last 25 years. And that’s true at the national level, as well.

In November 1988, George H. W. Bush won the presidency with a resounding victory over Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis, and Ronald Reagan prepared to leave the Oval Office.

In March, former Lt. Col. Oliver North was indicted for his role in the Iran-Contra scandal. A few months later, in July, a U.S. Navy ship mistook an Iranian airliner in the Persian Gulf for a fighter jet and shot it down, killing 290 people.

The Los Angeles Dodgers won the 1988 World Series over the Oakland Athletics, with help from a walk-off, pinch-hit home run by the injury-hobbled Kirk Gibson in Game 1.The Boston Bruins fell to the Edmonton Oilers in the 1988 Stanley Cup Finals.

The 1988 Summer Olympics were held in Seoul, South Korea, and American Carl Lewis brought home two golds.

British pop artist George Michael had the biggest hit song of 1988 with “Faith.” The year’s highest-grossing box office smash was “Rain Man,” which also won the Oscar for Best Picture.

Throughout the year, there was plenty to report in local news, sports and culture as well. As you count down the days to the New Year, enjoy this glance back into local history and see what’s changed — and what’s stayed the same.

“In looking back at 1988, The Stowe Reporter gives an opportunity to reevaluate our actions and reflect on the issues that kept our interest during the year. This chronology is far from complete. It is only a short listing of some of the highlights that affected Stowe.”

Stowe Reporter staff

The paper’s publisher in 1988 was D. Trowbridge Elliman; managing editor, Bernard R. Dagenais; editor and ski writer, Linda B. Adams; assistant ski editor, Phyllis Bell; staff photographer and writer, Gregory J. Popa; staff writers, Gail Ryan, Nancy Crowe, Barbara Kopf; business and circulation manager, Marilyn M. DeWees; advertising sales, Janka Heath and Jan Kilburn; accounting, Joan Joslin; production and graphics coordinator, Marsha Holden; production and graphics, Steve Rudd; contributing photographer, Malcolm Reiss; contributing writers, LeeLee Goodson, David Hale.

Editor and assistant publisher, Deborah A. FitzGerald, left the paper after 13 years.

The paper was published every Thursday; the price went up from 35 to 40 cents.

Local controversies

Main Street merchants and businesspeople feared groups of youths were attempting to take control of the downtown area through intimidation. The teens liked to meet on the steps of Akeley Memorial Building and use their skateboards on Main Street sidewalks.

Trustees banned skateboards from Main Street to make village walkways safer. Parents suggested a teen center be tried again (two prior centers closed); the teens preferred hanging out on Main Street.

Other teens, the “Stowe Six,” stayed in the headlines throughout the year. Letters were hand-delivered by Stowe Police to the non-graduating Stowe High School students, stating they were barred from attending June 15 graduation ceremonies, with no reason given. One student was arrested for attending graduation; the charges were later dropped. The Stowe School Board stonewalled, refusing to either explain or issue an apology for its actions. Two separate lawsuits were filed against the principal and board members, one by the American Civil Liberties Union, claiming civil rights were violated. A week before Christmas, the school board settled one suit with payment of legal fees and an apology: “Simply stated, we made a mistake and we apologize for it.” The ACLU suit was still pending at the end of 1988.

People

Ed Mercier and Marion Baraw were named King and Queen of Stowe’s Winter Carnival.

Stowe skiers Leslie Thompson, 24, and Tiger Shaw, 26, represented the United States at the 1988 Olympics in Calgary.

Tiger Shaw held the 1988 U.S. National Men’s Combined Championship title.

Vera-Ellen Frye was chosen as valedictorian and Christopher Robert as salutatorian at Stowe High School.

The Booster Club presented a special award to Miss O, Beverly Osterberg, “for instilling discipline, determination, character, sportsmanship in our children...”

Stowe Free Library Trustee Phoebe Sakash received the first annual award recognizing outstanding volunteer service; she had joined the board in 1958, when the library was still in Akeley Memorial Building.

Leo Clark was appointed administrative director for the Vermont Tax Department in Montpelier and resigned as Town Administrator. Paul Hughes was hired.

Joseph Parker Perry (“he didn’t like the Joseph and never used it if he didn’t have to”), 84, died Sunday, June 19, 1988, leaving behind his wife Dottie of Stowe, and his son Tony Perry of Shelburne. The gazebo in front of the Helen day Art Center and Stowe Free Library was his gift to the people of Stowe.

Fritz Wiessner, 88, world-renowned rock climber and alpinist, died at his home in Stowe on July 3, 1988.

Swiss Challenge of Stowe sponsored the first American Woman on Everest Expedition. Stacy Allison, 29, of Portland, Ore., reached the summit on Sept. 29, wearing a Turtle’s Neck and Hot Top made by Brystie Inc. of Stowe, a company operated by Millie Bryant.

In October, four Stowe snowboarders, Bud Keene, Luci-Laporte-Keene, Jim Martin, and Lowell Hart set a new world high-altitude snowboard record (22,100 feet) on Argentina’s Mt. Aconcagua, the Western Hemisphere’s highest mountain. The lack of snow didn’t stop the Stowe team from smashing the existing altitude record by more than 2,700 vertical feet.

Stephen Herz, 28, and Christopher Rivera, 18, both of Stowe, were killed instantly Nov. 17 when their cars collided head-on at Stowe’s infamous Playhouse curve on the Mountain Road. Kasha Rigby, 18, of Stowe, was injured. At the urging of Town Administrator Paul Hughes, the state installed three additional warning signs at the curve. Route 108 is a state highway.

Stowe news

Reconstruction of the U.S. Post Office began in January after a December 1987 fire. Marvin Gameroff and Ken Biedermann presented Stowe Postmaster Mark Spencer with a key on opening day, May 16, 1988. Retail hours were curtailed that year as a result of the Gramm-Hollings Bill. The postmaster suggested changing from 14 rural routes to street numbered addresses in order to avoid confusion and expedite delivery of mail.

Depot Street and “Slab Alley,” between the Green Mountain Inn and the Depot Building, became one-way streets.

The new Conservation Commission asked for funding to begin the work of conserving “open and farmlands.”

Residents formed the Friends of Stowe Conservation, Inc., which later in the year became “Stowe’s Land Trust,” to pinpoint and then acquire key land parcels.

Vin and Nancy Buonanno’s 3-Plex Cinema opened, with two screens up and running.

Paver stones were chosen by town voters and installed on the Main Street sidewalks.

The recycling center was closed; it cost more to recycle than to dump items in the trash hopper at the Stowe transfer station.

A headline asked, “When do rentals become ‘commercial’?” Owners rented their homes to “rowdy outsiders who lacked respect for residential neighborhoods.”

Gov. Madeleine Kunin visited Stowe via helicopter on Green-Up Day.

The police department was reorganized; Kenneth Kaplan was named captain.

Local artist Alice Blodgett painted a unique fundraising sign for the Stowe Community Church Landmark Restoration Project. The goal of $25,000 was exceeded.

A dry spell had the area under stress all year. Suggested remedies included trucking in water and drilling a well on Edson Hill.

A new state smoking law went into effect in July, requiring employers to develop a “written smoking policy.”

The Akeley Memorial Building had a “facelift,” and Stowe Area Association’s renovation included a new porch and dormers.

Canadian developer Marvin Gameroff unveiled his 15-year plan for “Centre Village,” a residential and commercial development in the village. The Agency of Natural Resources threw a hitch into the plan when it discovered the 90-acre parcel included some 20 acres of wetlands... and beavers.

The Fly Rod Shop’s plans for expansion were not approved by the town. The Charda Inn on Route 100 was sold by Karl Jokinen to Andrew Aldrich and reopened as The Inn at the Brass Lantern. The Timberholm Inn on Cottage Club Road was purchased by Wes and Susan Jensen.

After Tamarack Road residents lost a battle to save two old maple trees at the entrance to their road, a town ordinance was passed earmarking several scenic town roads for preservation.

The elementary school was overcrowded — closets used as classrooms; lunch in the gym. The idea of creating a middle school was gaining momentum.

A new ordinance reduced Stowe’s 30 mph speed limit to 25 mph, effective Nov. 22.

The trolleys returned in December, partly funded by Stowe merchants. Rides were free.

Firefighters and the sprinkler system saved the 1833 Green Mountain Inn from a chimney fire late Saturday night, Dec. 17.

Police aided over 100 drivers on Tuesday, Dec. 22, during a morning ice storm called “the worst in 25 years.” Stoweites skated on Mountain Road, instead of driving.

Stowe Recreation Path

Path Coordinator Anne Lusk continued fundraising for the 2.8-mile extension of the Recreation Path, which would bring the length to 5.5 miles.

Actress Deborah Raffin, Arthur Kreizel, Dr. Ruth and Gov. Madeline Kunin attended the Greenways Gala in March, which raised $40,000, completing the goal of $180,000. Construction was to begin in the summer.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency objected to plans to bring in gravel and stones for bridge approaches. Stowe protested and eventually received the necessary permit from the Army Corps of Engineers.

The project received an award from The National Parks Land, Water, Conservation Fund in June.

On July 26, Anne Lusk accepted the Take Pride in America Award for the project from President Ronald Reagan and Secretary Donald Hodel at the White House in Washington, D.C.

A symbolic groundbreaking ceremony was held on Nov. 29 in Stowe.

Sports

Over 900 cross-country ski racers participated in the Stowe Derby on Feb. 21, which began in 1945 as a personal challenge between American skiing pioneers Sepp Ruschp and Erling Strom.

Stowe biathlete Peggy Hunter was named the U.S. women’s 10k champion and received the gold medal at the U.S. National Championships.

The Stowe and Ramapo Polo Clubs marched in the Moscow Fourth of July Parade and played that weekend at their new field at the Little River Farm, off Stagecoach Road. Stowe Polo raised $6,000 for Copley Hospital.

The Vermont Equestrian Summer Showcase debuted in Stowe on Aug. 16.

The 11th annual Head Classic also took place in August. Once a Grand Prix tennis event, the tournament had only special event status, so players earned no points toward their rankings.

The Stowe Recreation Commission “hit a homerun” at the Stowe Board of Adjustment meeting when their proposal to add two ball fields in Moscow passed.

The Royal Lippizan Stallions performed at Topnotch in September.

The first annual Turkey Trot, organized by Lee LeBier, raised $500 for Copley Hospital. Eric Morse of Waterbury was the first male finisher (16 minutes, 10 seconds) and Gina Sperry of South Burlington was the first female finisher (19 minutes, 14 seconds).

Mt. Mansfield Company

The Mt. Mansfield Company raised the price of lift tickets over the winter holiday to $35, “to limit lines and crowds.” Local skiers complained.

An avalanche crashed down a portion of Upper National on Mt. Mansfield on Jan. 11; no one was injured.

The Stowe Ski School program at Spruce Peak added a snowboarding program.

The company stopped using styrofoam products in its food and beverage operations.

A $1,000 reward was offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who killed two red fox pups at the Stowe Country Club.

The Mount Mansfield Natural Area was designated a National Natural Landmark on Friday, Aug. 5.

The Department of Environmental Conservation discovered the company had been dumping hazardous waste (oils and degreasers) down floor drains. President Wayne Hoss stated the waste charge was “blown out of proportion.”