Local talk: Being a teenage pharmacist at Pollard’s Store

Sunday, Aug. 15 at 2 p.m.—PROCTORVILLE—The Pollard general store, operated in Proctorsville for approximately 100 years, selling a wide variety of products, including window shades, glazed windows, tobacco, sugar, medicines, footwear, shawls, rope, carpets, petroleum products, and food products. Serving both humans and animals, Pollards provided a “compounding” pharmacy service, which made customized medications. Dan Churchill, the owner of “Commercial Radio,” wanted to be a pharmacist as a kid. Around the age of 12-13, he started hanging out at Pollard’s Store and it wasn’t long before he was employed in the pharmacy department. The longer Churchill worked for Park Pollard, the more he turned over the day to day operations to him. The same year Churchill headed off to college, 1955, Park Pollard died, and with it the pharmacy service. While Pollard was able to become a pharmacist under the apprentice system, by 1948, the American Council on Education declared that the pharmacy degree should be a 6-year program. Without the funds for such an education, Dan had to opt for “plan B” and went into electrical engineering. However, Churchill never lost his interest in pharmacy and when given the opportunity by the Pollard family, he took part of the store’s apothecary section along with the books of prescriptions. On Sunday, Aug. 15 at 2 p.m., Dan Churchill will be speaking at the Cavendish Historical Society Museum, 1958 Main St (Route 131) in Cavendish about his experience being a teenage pharmacist at Pollard’s store. This program is free and open to the public. For more information call: 802-226-7807.