Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-11-21

school house disgrace to any civilized com
munity, and can or cannot anything be done
about it?
A conference Of the school committee
and Grammar school teachers was held on
Monday evening, at which some changes in
tho Grammar school course were decided up
on. In geography new departure will be
tried, under which the pupils will not be re-
quired to commit the text to memory but
will, instead read from the book four days in
the week, and on the fifth day they will be
carefully examined by the teachers on the
ground gone over, and marked for the week
only on this examination. The method in
arithmetic was also somewhat changed. Rhe-
torical exercises are dropped entirely, and
the time heretofore devoted to them on
Wednesday afternoons will be given to q care
full drillin reading Tho effect Willie, on the
whole, to somewhat Tighten the work done by
the children
-Chanfrau paid a very high tribute, during
his late visit here, to the skill and talent of
Mr.. Piggott, the scenic artist who has done
the stage decoration Of Crosby hall. The
scenery, Mr.. Chanfrau said, which Mr.. Pig
gott painted for him when he was playing
the "Octoroon" in Chicago, was the most
beautiful and striking work Of the kind he
ever saw SO much was he charmed with it
that when off the s ago during the play, he
used to go down into the audience and sit
and admire it, and finally he had Mr. Pggott
reproduce it in oil to hang upon the walls Of
his Long Branch cottage. Some Of Mr.. Pigg-
otis most notable work was done during a
a five years term Of service as stage decora-
tor in New Orleans.
The Springfield Republican publishes the
statement that the Connecticut River and
Vermont Valley railroad companies are max
ing renewed effort to secure a consolidated
line between Springfield and Bellows Falls,
and that with this end in view, they have
been talking with the Fitchburg company
about the purchase Of the p miles of road be-
tween Brattlcboro and Millcrs Falls. They
disagree about the price, however, and the
negotiations are not likely to amount to any
thing The Republican further suggests, and
shows its good sense thereby, as the most
feasible plan for securing an Independent
line from Brattleboro to So Vernon, the con-
struction Of five miles OF road on the New
Hampshire side from Brattleboro to Hinsdale,
and thence traffic would go by the Ashuelot
road to SO. Ncrnon--the distance being but
trhe more by this new route than by the
present one. Another railroad item Of inter-
est is the fact that the New London Northern
road is surveying line from Turner's Falls
to Brattleboro, but just what or how definite
is the end in view, nobody seems to know.
-Starkey & Wellman and Perry & Greasy
were victimized last Saturday evening by
fellow who presented orders claiming to come
from j. Estcy Il Co, and obtained on them,
from the former, a suit of clothes and an
oyorcoat, and from the latter pair Of mems
boots and one Of womens shoes-the total
value of the goods being nearly $40. The
fellow is described 10y the victimized parties
rs b-ing of medium height with beard and
long hair, wearing glasses, and limping slight
ly. The same fellow was hanging about the
railroad station Saturday afternoon, minus
the limp. He represented to the dealers that
Deacon Estey was his guardian, and remark
ed to Starkey Il Wellman that lie wanted to
show the clothes TO the deacon and if the
deacon didn't think they were too expensive
for him he would keep them; otherwise he
would return them Monday morning With
this dutiful remark he left, and that was
the last seen of him the supposition is that
the deacon" was satisfied with his selection.
The orders were rather bunglngly written on
pieces Of paper just large enough 10 hold the
writing, and were signed y. Estey & Co.'S"
Whether the addition of the apostrophe and
''s'' was through ignorance, or was a shrewd
dodge to save the signature from being a for
gerry, is only matter of guess-work.
The following is the list Of letters remain
ing at the post Office in this village, Nov. 20
Ladies' Flora Brown, Mrs. G. c. Clark,
Nellie Carter, Emma NJ. Dunklee CD, Mrs.
Jane Dickinson, Lorraine Daggett, Mary II.
Fitch, Laura NJ. Smith, Mrs. Nellie S. Squires,
Mary f. Ward.
Gents Frank Boyuton, Samuel Bradley, Ad-
olson Carpenter, Den Colburn, Edward p Farr,
DR. Eugene Howard, H. f. Horton. ]. H.
Houghton, Chester Lscom, f. c. Pratt,
Chas. Stewart, d. c. Shaw, NJ. Thompson,
Clarence Whiteomb, Capt. F. L. Warren,
Frank Wright (2)
Miscellaneous Woodbury. & Burdett, Pen
nington Il Co.
Held for postage Dennis Hogan, Heron
Lake, jackson Co., MINI. Mrs. A. S. Math-
ews, SO. Decrfield, Mass.
THE NEW CROSBY HALL.
The finishing touches have been put up
on the new Crosby hall this week, and the
large number Of people who will this evening
visit it for the first time, on the occasion of
its formal opening and dedication, will fin
themselves in a very handsome and commo-
dious audience room which is an ornament to
our village, and must at once come into pop
ular use for a great variety Of entertainments,
including social gatherings of all kinds. The
size of the hall is ample for all ordinary occa-
sions, and, as has already been stated in our
columns, its arrangements, including waiting
rooms, with all needful conveniences on the
floor below, are very perfect and complete.
The general effect of the hall, with its neatly
tinted walls and ceiling, and chaste Pompe-
ian border forming a cornice on the two sides,
is very agreeable TO the eye. The stage dec
oRtions, which are the work of Mr.. j. Pigg-
oft, the celebrated scenic artist, are notably
fine, and will be found to surpass even the
highest anticipations which have been raised
in regard TO them. On either side of the
proscenium opening are panels of rich but
subdued coloring, and the opening itself
forms an elegant and massive frame for the
drop curtain, which is a beautiful and care
fully executed work of art, representing a
charming Italian scene on the Mediterranean.
The drop scenes are seven in number, repre-
senting respectively street scene, land
scape, rustic interior, prison, parlor, cham
Der, and forest scene-the latter, in particu-
lar, with its corresponding wings forming
delightfully."- realistic picture. The prosceni-
um wings represent columns of Siclian mar
BILE, standing on yerd antique bases, and
with golden wreaths twisting about them.
We need not say, what will be apparent to
every observer. that in these decorations Mr..