1959: The Princeton BiCentennial

I was a resident of Princeton from about the age of 3 until while in college when my parents moved to Seattle (in 1965). I lived about a half mile from the center of town on Worcester Road (south of the Caldwell house) for several years until my parents built a home below the old stone school on Boylston Avenue (the house with all the glass in the front). My parents owned about 13 acres along Boylston Avenue. They sold the home in 1965 when they moved but retained about 9 acres that they later sold. I see from Gogel Earth that there are about three additional homes that were built back from Boylston Avenue on this land. I attended the old stone school for all eight grades (graduating in 1958) and then went to Wachusett Regional High School for four years (graduating in 1962). One of my classmates was Eleanor Chase who was the daughter of the man that lived in and ran the country store/post office in the center of town. I remember going to the store and post office many times for mail, to buy groceries, eat at the soda shop, wait for the bus going to the high school in Holden.

My father, O.J. Whittemore, Jr., was involved in the 200th anniversary celebration. He was the chairman of the Hirsute Adornment Committee. The idea was that all the men in Princeton should grow beards. However, they could pay one dollar to the committee to obtain a shaving permit if they did not want to grow whiskers. The money was used towards the float that the committee had as well as for prizes for the best beards. I remember the committee's float as one with bearded mountain men.