Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-12-21
Waterbury Items.

teachers Of the schools OF the town than any OF
Its predecessors, and gratifying degree OF inter-
est was manifested. The subject Of primary
instruction In geography was quite fully discussed
Various hints and suggestions concerning modes
OF instruction were made, and different methods
OF exciting and maintaining an interest in the
study were described. The subject OF reading
was discussed The mental az well as vocal
discipline good reading demands was enlarged
upon, the primary Importance Of thorough in
struction In this study was urged and the neces-
sity that teachers themselves should perfect them
felves in the art Of good reading in order to teach 1t
properly and successfully enforced. high
standard Of excellence was required with ample
time for recitation and energetic persistent drill to
reach that standard was advocated The next meet
ing will be held at Waterbury Center December 81.
Subject for discussion-First: How to strengthen
the memory Of children, Rev. Mr.. Church Sec
ond, How to teach writing Miss Sheple and Su-
perintendent Wright It Is expected that this
meeting will be one Of unusual interest. without
disparagement to any Others 1t may be said that
what Mr.. Church has TO say will be Of exceptional
value to our teachers He Is willing to take the
time and make the effort TO give our teachers the
benefit Of his long and successful experience in
school, He has interested himself in these meet
ings and surely all the teachers in town can and
should 'leud him their ears" Every district in
town should be represented mot only by It's teach
or but Its committee.men and citizens also may
not find two hours spent at one Of these gather
ngs entirely lost time. As stated last week,
Christmas will be observed at the Methodist and
and Congregational churches, Saturday evening.
Everybody, pagan Christian, saint or sinner,
will find the latch-string out at either church
and a warm welcome awaiting. ....J. c. Batch
elder was the recipient Of grand surprise testi-
monial, Friday evening, at the hands Of his sis
ters and brothers OF the Good Templar lodge.
Wholly unannounced, some sixty Of the la tier,
bearing refreshments with them, came down upon
Mr.. Batchelder and his wife In the early evening.
An adjournment was effected to the templars'
hall, situated In the building in which Mr.. Batch
elder has his abode and an evening OF genuine
and hearty social enjoyment and good fellowship
was passed A pleasant incident OF the evening
was the presentation to Mr.. Batchelder OF an ele
CANT silver butter dish from the jewery store OF
o. L. Scott. The Rev. Mr.. Johnson made the
presentation speech, and Mr. Batchelder, strongly
impressed by these testimonials Of regard and
good will on the eve Of his departure from the
| state, made feeling response. IA grand New
Years ball at the Waterbury hotel by its new land
lord, Mr.. Osborne Chase, is announced for Friday
evening, December 30th Howard opera house
orchestra Of Burlington will furnish the music. A
| free concert previous to the opening OF the ball
will be given. This orchestra is unexcelled for
the excellence Of its music and its presence alone
should insure a successful and enjoyable occasion.
No efforts the part Of Mr.. Chase and his assist
| ant Mr.. Clarence Spauding, will be wanting to
make the entertainment, in all its features, a
| pleasant and satisfactory one. ...J. C. Batchel-
| der and W. p. Mason left for Boston Saturday
| morning on business connected with the removal
OF the Colby wringer Company business to that
| city.....R s. Bates, ather Of H. F. Bates, and
| formerly resident Of Brookfeld, had stroke of
paralysis early Tuesday morning, the 18th inst.
| His entire left side was affected. Mr.. Bates is in
his eighty-frst year. He has enjoyed vigorous
| old age, and has been remarkably active man even
up to the time Of the stroke He Is as comfortable
| as possible under the circumstances Mr.. Bates
| father and mother suffered similar misfortune.
80. Omission was made to mention in these items
last week the generous donation to Rev. Mr.
| Johnson Of the Methodist society. The contribu-
| ton of money alone exceeded S2l5, OF which sum
| s55 was contributed by the Good Templsr lodge.
The necessities OF life freely contributed, and
DIR. Hooker also generously donated his bill for
medical services incurred during recent severe
| sickness in Mr.. Johnsons family. .. IL reports
are even measurably true as to the need and suf-
ferng Of certain motherless children in the ball
| alley tenement, there Is still wide field for
any unexpended benevolence on the part Of indi-
| vduals religious societies, or temperance organ
izations. Their natural guardians seem to be
beastly, and their scandalous course Of life ia a
matter Of familiar knowledge. The public inter
est should be enlisted to save and protect the
hapless children. Two Gypsy looking maids
| were seen lettering around the lower end OF New
street, Sunday evening The jewellers on that
street will do well to look out for them. Incip-
lent conspiracy and the means Of assassination
were unearthed IN his own castle by a sturdy
burgher Of this town last week. A farmer whose
worldly treasures are in proportion to his alder
manic development Of abdomen and whose cour-
age,moral and physical is said to be equal to both,
has in his employ bumptious pumpkin OF some
sixteen summers. While doing the chores sew
eral nights ago the youth propounded certain
conundrums to his employer, the burthen of
which was, II the latter should be confronted at
night by man with pistol, and negotiations
intimately affecting the possession of his money
or his life should then and there be insisted upon,
what would he do? KNOCK i'm down." was the
easy answer. Whereupon the inquistive youth
asked the farmer a harder one, viz II he should
be met by two such mischievous persons? KNOCK
EN- both down." was, in effect, the valorous an
swer. This seemed to satisfy the youth and he
dropped the subject. The farmer reflected upon
the youths hypothetical cases, and his medta-
tions were stimulated by dark hints that his
chore boy, with a confederate, had been investing
in cartridges So last week he turned inquisitor
and pressed the boy to produce certain weapons
and ammunition in his possession. After much de-
NAL and lodging on the part of the investigated,
pistol was produced from his pocket, another
was uncovered at the barn, and third, revolver
full shotted. was found in his trunk. The dis
covery that he had been reposing over such a
mine might have disturbed any person not gifted
with Mr.. George Moody's cool nerve. Tranquility
was restored by disarming the ferocious youth,
and safety by nightly fastening him in his bed
room Such at least is the story told around the
fire at the village headquarters. .. Christopher
Corse has gone with his wife to visit married
daughter in Lynn, Massachusetts,. II "Crit"
don't get homesick he may spend the winter
there .. George F. Moody will exhibit the pro-
ficiency Of his music scholars at private concert
at a time and place yet to be named. The
Methodist society raised S2S, Sunday, toward in
I
| quired for this purpose. .Howde, the young
son OF Hugh Griswold, received a severe cut in
the head last week. "A March pig dressing
four hundred and thirty-six pounds, is Mrs John
Coffrins evidence OF successful pork culture -.
The guests and boarders of Village hotel had
social time Saturday evening. candy-pull and
dancing eked out the fun and enjoyment OF the
occasion. The Congregational Ladies' Aid So
cety have had successful year its net income
amounting to 1908. This sum has accrued from
the weekly dues from membership fees, and
from the proceeds of oyster supper and
strawberry festival The society will resume its
meetings after the first Of January, assembling
! fortnighty at the outset, instead OF weekly as
heretofore -. The young daughter OF Mr.. and
Mrs. Charles Wells was brought here from St.
Adams for burial last Thursday. The child had
suffered severely from scarlet fever in the spring
and 1t had never fully recovered from that fear
full disease. The immediate cause Of its death
which occurred December 18th, was lung fever.
| Its age was eighteen months. Funeral services
were held by Rev. Mr.. Wheeler In the vestry of
the Congregational church,a company of Sabbath
school children fifty singing their juvenile hymns
about the remains Of the departed child.
Current Literature.
HISTORY OF PREsByTERIANIsM IN New ENG