Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1871-09-08
Grafton.

last week, caused by matter OF compaI
atively trifling importance. An unsuc
cessful attempt having been made t.
have a select school in said district thi
fall, many Directing to the idea of hav
ing select school for the reason tina
there were some sixty or seventy scholar
in the district who of right ought to en-
JOY the benefit of school, many o
whom either from the want of interest OF
pecuniary ability of their parents to meet
the expense, would not attend select
school. So a number of reckless invaders
of the rights Of others, caused meeting
to be warned on Friday evening, to see il
the district would instruct the committee
to have a fall term of public school open
alike to rich and poor, which would make
nine, instead of six months public school.
This trick was soon brought to the
knowledge of the staunch men and pill
lars of the district, the careful guardians
of the treasury and morals of the people
They at once sounded the tocsin of alarm,
in the ears Of every slumbering voter.
Thirteen cents on the dollar of the grand
list of the district it was found, would be
required to meet the expense, and the
idea of thus bleeding the treasury for an
object of so trifing Importance as pub
lie school, was not, could not, should not
be tolerated
The evening came, and with it the
voters. No sooner was the meeting call
ed to order, than one of the originators
of the trick, moved that the district have
a fall term Of ten weeks school, and made
a labored, tiresome argument to sustain
the ridiculous proposition. Others more
pleasing in their address and less tire
some followed on the same side, but the
task was hard one.
The advocates of fair play and equal
rights, the friends of the youth and ris-
ing generation, now took the floor to op-
pose the wicked waste of the peoples
money. They had no difficulty in show
ing very clearly.
LIST. That children were created with
different capacities and designed by their
Creator for different persuits in life, and
while perhaps few professional men
would receive some benefit from an edu-
cation, it was wicked waste of time and
money for the laboring class to spend
much time with books.
I'd. That six months school in one
year was amply sufficient for any child
whose parents were unable to give him
more at their own expense.
Sd. The district school last year, cost
the district thity-three and one-third per
cent. on the grand list, which was an out
rage upon the rights of tax payers.
4th. That there had always been more
or less truant boys in said district, and
that to allow scholars who desired to
study, an opportunity to attend school
bef,re all idlers were brought in, would
work great injustice to both.
Notwithstanding the foregoing facts
We're very clearly demonstrated, thirty
six voted in favor of the motion, but to
the credit of the district, be it said, thir-
ty-nine voted against it, some twenty
voters not present.
But the restless spirit was not satisfied.
The next morning, gentleman came
forward and said he would pay twenty
five dollars towards fall school, another
pledged fifteen. Two gentlemen from
Massachusetts who attended the meeting,
added ten dollars, making the sum fifty,
whereupon paper was started and the
requisite amount soon pledged, and the
prospect now is that before this appears
in the TINES the school will be in opera
ton.
1t is confdentially believed that if this
opposition to schools continues to mani
fest itself in this district, the results will
be highly beneficial. The one perhaps
most prominent, will be that those desir- |
ing to locate in Grafton village, will find
pleasant residences for sale at greatly re-
duced prices. X
MURDERED FOR MoNEY.-The body