I know people from out of town read the local newspaper. Some years back, when I was editor of the Suburban News (now the Lakes Region Suburban Weekly) I wrote an editorial about the driving habits of some out-of-staters, and got three angry letters in response to my remarks.

Ever since then, I’ve been very careful of what I put to paper, BUT I do wish that the stop sign coming from Wal-Mart into Shaw’s parking lot in Windham was about 15 feet high. Many people seem to ignore it. It’s always so scary that I don’t have time to glance at the license plate so I can’t really cast blame, but tend to choose an alternative path to the grocery store.

The Laundromat is a whole different place in the summer, with all machines spinning and whirling for most of the day and night. I’ve been told that Saturday is the better day, but many others know this, as well. George Bartlett and his crew have a tremendous job during the summer. Most of us are unaware of how many summer camps there are in this area of the state, and the hundreds and hundreds of kids from all over New England and New York who land here each summer. Those of us who still go to the Laundromat are very aware, however.

In the Signs of Changing Times department this week is the proposed dissolution of the Chase Cemetery Association. Many years ago before municipalities were in charge of cemeteries, many of them had associations which imposed dues and did the maintenance work. There was a North Windham Cemetery Association, for example. This cemetery is today called Arlington Cemetery. A few years ago, the late Walter Peavey brought the records of the association to the historical society for safe-keeping. I remember when the Loveitt Cemetery Association disbanded and the remaining members voted to place a plaque at that old graveyard, in honor of the men who were killed in gunpowder mill explosions at the nearby mill. Now there are only two cemetery associations left in Windham and one of them, Chase, is about to be disbanded. Remaining members will vote on this at their last meeting on Aug. 18. As far as I know, Smith Cemetery Association (for the Smith cemetery in Windham Center) is still active.

When they originated, cemetery associations had a real purpose – the care of the cemetery with which they were affiliated. Associations built the little roads, repaired and straightened stones and generally cleaned up.

Nowadays, towns and cities have the responsibility, under state law, to maintain the yards, particularly for those graveyards in which veterans are buried. Windham has several ancient burying grounds in which Revolutionary War veterans rest. There’s even one cemetery with veterans from several wars.

Older town families have kept the cemetery associations active through the years, but younger generations of these families have very different lives and many have moved away. With the town’s good care and oversight, association members no longer have to mow and clip grass or straighten out heavy stones. The supposed end of the Chase Cemetery Association is yet another sign of change for our town. For all of these years, the annual meetings have been held at the Advent Christian Church on Highland Cliff Road. The generosity of the church is very much appreciated by the association members.

See you next week.