50 Years Ago – June, 1969 

     June 6, 1969, marked the 25th anniversary of the D-Day landings at Normandy. June 6, 2019, is the 75th anniversary.

     Airman Gary H. Seward of Esmond completed Air Force basic training.

     Marine Corps Pvt. Gary F. Finlay of Esmond also completed basic training, and was awarded a medal for marksmanship.

     EM-2 Mark McNeilly of Greenville was serving at Woods Hole in Falmouth, Mass.

     When Clifford Bedard of Greenville, a management analyst working at Quonset Point saw a newspaper photo of an American flag being burned, he was inspired to approach Quonset officials with the idea of issuing American flag decals to all military and civilian personnel at Quonset to be placed, voluntarily, on their cars. The idea was well received, and when executives of the Gulf Oil Company heard of it, they elected to supply 6,000 flag decals at no cost to the government. Proof that one person can make a difference.  

     Esmond Girl Scout Troop 894 held a pot-luck supper at the Esmond Recreation Hall. Three of the young ladies were awarded trophies for high bowling averages. They were: Nancy Porter, Toni Ann Gomes, and Linda Boyle.  

     The Smithfield Women’s Club installed new officers at a dinner held at the former Club 44 restaurant.

     The newly elected officers were: Mrs. Donald T. Taylor, president; Mrs. Bradford C. Bernardo, vice-president; Mrs. Jerome Butterfield, secretary; and Mrs. Donald A. Brush, treasurer.

     The guest speaker was Mrs. Donald McLean, Assistant Director of the Rhode Island State Federation of Women’s Clubs, who spoke about “Individual Involvement”.

     Reverend Rene Guertin, the director of St. Aloysius Home in Greenville since 1946, was presented with the Louis Massover Memorial Award for outstanding Service by the Smithfield Jaycees organization.  

     Janet Rathier of Gerogiaville was chosen to attend the National Junior Achievement Conference to be held in August at Indiana State University. Miss Rathier was one of seven delegates from Rhode Island to attend.

   A piano recital was held at the Greenville Library on June 14. All participants were students of Mrs. Helene Taubman of Greenville. Participants included: Susan Waradzin, Mary Ann Cooper, Anthony, Andrew, and Mathew Pucci, Liza Corselli, John Oswald, Becky Lide, David Dolan, John Pascone, Gail AAsen, John Correro, and Betty Ann De Sautell. The event was open to the public.

     The Smithfield Apple Blossom Club staged an elaborate flower and garden show at St, Michael’s Church in Georgiaville which included numerous artistic and horticultural displays. The theme of the show was “Today’s Trends – Tomorrow’s Traditions”.

       Prizes were awarded to the following ladies: Mrs. Harry Kemp, Mrs. Howard Lebeck, Mrs. John Kaminski, Mrs. Anthony Lancia, Mrs. John Graham, Jr., Mrs. Prescott Williams, Mrs. Richard Illingsworth, Mrs. George Cook, Mrs. John Cunningham, Mrs. Peter Bak, Mrs. Alexander Booth, Mrs. Harold Hall, Mrs. Theodore Shaw, Mrs. Irving Vincent, Mrs. Earl Greany, and Mrs. Raymond Shirley.

     Also, Miss Tammy Daily, Miss Katie Guidone, Miss Janet Rathier, and Miss Susan Dorgan each won a blue ribbon in the Junior Exhibit category.     

     The “Smithfield Breathe-In”, a conference about the dangers and solutions relating to air pollution was held June 26 at the Smithfield High School. Speakers included Alfred L. Hawkes, executive director of the Rhode Island Audubon Society; Michael A. Abatuno, president of the Rhode Island Air Pollution Control League; W. Ellerbe Ackerman, Jr., of the Rhode Island Tuberculosis and Respiratory Disease Association; and Doctor Francis Vose, and Woonsocket physician.   

     A Greenville dry cleaning business was partaking in a “His & Hers Sweepstakes” in which the grand prize was a pair of 1969 Volkswagen Karmann Ghias automobiles. No purchase was necessary.   

     The Blue Gill Derby Association, consisting of residents living around Slack’s Pond in Greenville, spearheaded an effort to eradicate an over abundance of weed growth which had taken hold of the pond. In cooperation with state authorities, an herbicide was introduced to the water which caused certain weeds to “grow themselves to death”. The herbicide was not harmful to marine life, but residents were warned not to water their lawns and plants with water from the pond for a few weeks.   

     As part of an anti-litter campaign the Smithfield Conservation Commission places 55-gallon steel trash receptacles in areas around town plagued by litter problems. The barrels were donated by the Greenville Finishing Company, and each was stenciled, “Keep Smithfield Clean and Green”. The stenciling was done by William Robinson of Smithfield.