When the Dress Code Was Strict

In reference to the Woodstock school dress code articles:

I attended St. Johnsbury Academy from 1966 to 1970. Middle school and high school students today don’t know how lucky they are.

When I attended St. Johnsbury Academy, the dress code was very strict. Girls could not wear pants, shorts or even culottes. All girls wore skirts and dresses, and they had to come down to the knees.

If there was any doubt about your dress length, you had to get down on your knees, and if the dress touched the floor it was OK. Boys had to wear dress slacks and a tie. No jeans or T-shirts were worn.

I think we had a better education than most high school students because of this strictness. I had total respect for my teachers, and my studies. Not one student ever acted out of line. We were told we were being prepared for college and a professional career. Most of us did end up with college degrees.

Melinda Hunt

Enfield

Check the Checklist

Although it seems way too early to focus on deadlines related to the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday, Sept. 13, it’s not!

The last day for New Hampshire voters to change their party affiliation before this upcoming election is May 31. This cutoff date relates to the filing period for candidates to appear on a primary ballot and is generally 100 days before any upcoming primary contest. Unfortunately, this can catch some voters off guard.

There are three valid party affiliations for the New Hampshire voter checklist: Democrat; Republican; Undeclared. If you are a registered voter affiliated with the Democratic Party when you walk into the polls for a primary election, you can receive only the Democratic ballot. If you are a registered voter affiliated with the Republican Party, you can receive only the Republican ballot. Only if a registered voter is on the voter checklist as having not declared a party affiliation (i.e., Undeclared) can a voter opt to receive either a Democratic or a Republican ballot at a primary election. 

By selecting one of these ballots, the Undeclared voter is affiliating with a particular party and must revert back to an Undeclared status. If this “Revert to Undeclared” action is not taken, the voter will appear on the voter checklist as affiliated with either the Democratic or Republican Party.

Each primary election there are a few voters who are disappointed — some even distraught — to discover they are not on the voter checklist as they expected.

Please do not let this happen to you! Registered voters can visit the state’s Voter Look-Up site to check their party affiliation: http://app.sos.nh.gov/Public/PartyInfo.aspx. Voters can also contact their local town or city clerk’s office for information and assistance on their party affiliation status and on how to make changes.

If you are not absolutely certain of your party affiliation, please take a moment now to double check. See you in September at the polls.

Betsy McClain

Town Clerk

Hanover

Successful Swap

The Upper Valley Community Clothing Swap and Food Drive, held May 14 and 15, exceeded its spring record for donations and attendance. Most people are aware that our community’s need for food, clothing and services is increasing. Many, many people donated generously on Saturday (over 270 bags and boxes of clothing), and well over 200 people came on Sunday to choose free clothes for themselves and their families.

In addition, we received donations of 42 pounds of food for the Upper Valley Haven. We, the Swap organizers, owe great thanks to everyone who made this work: The many volunteers who sorted donations, the Upper Valley Food Coop for donating food for the workers and helping to collect donations beforehand, the folks who put up posters everywhere, Budget Print for the posters themselves, Revolution for lending clothes hanging racks and the Bugbee Senior Center, which generously lends its great facility for the Swap. Thank you, Upper Valley, for helping us help others.

Jo Alexander

Bobbijo Roussel

Annie Whitten

Betsy Alexander

Lebanon