Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-07-22
ANNUAL SCHOOL MEETING.
Geo. L. Durham, Rev. II. ID.
Maxwell New Committeeman.
A Board of Five VIII, Report on n New
Building.

ness OF unusual Importance Cdlleu Oul
larger number of voters than usual at the
annual meeting of school district No. 2,
which was held in the High school room
at S clock Tuesday evening. Promptly
at o'clock the meeting was called to
order bv b. d. Harris and the warrant for
the meeting was read by the clerk, ). w.
Kimball.
b. D. Harris was then reelected modera
tor for the ensuing year. The chair then
stated that the report Of the treasurer and
prudential committee had been published
and distributed and that the condition of
the schools was told in the report 50 that
1t would be unnecessary TO hear the re-
ports as provided under article ?. 1t was
moved, however, that the reports be ac-
cepted, which was done.
Article ,. for the election Of officers, was
then taken up and 5. W. Kimball was re-
elected clerk. The next officer to be elect
ed was a member OF the committee TO sue
coed l.. +. Adams whose term had eXpir-
ed c. F. Thompson said he had under
stood that Mr.. Adams would decline to
serve another term, and in very cJmpl-
mentary speech he urged that Mr.. Adams
alter his determination, stating that al
though MI Adams had large business in
tcrests which needed his attention he was
especially well fitted for the position.
Mr.. Adams stated in reply that it would
be practically impossible for him to serve
again, and he refused positively to allow
his name TO be used. Dr. HOlton then
nominated b. d. Harris with the statement
that he fulfilled the requirements, being
gentleman, scholar, business man and hav-
ing some leisure time in which to devote
his attention to the office. Mr. Harris
positively declined, as did also j. l..
Knowlton who was nominated by A. c.
Davenport.
At this point Rev. w. II. Collins arose
and stated that while he did not wish to
complicate matters be felt it necessary af-
ter 20 years Of service on the committee
to ask the district TO excuse him from serv-
ing the remaining year of his term. Mr..
Collins srequest was granted, and Dr. Hol
ton nominated George L. Durham to sue
coed Mr.. Adams. Mr.. Durham was elect
ed and DR.. Holton nominated for sue
cessor to Mr.. Collins Rev II. d. Maxwell,
who was also elected. &. c. Averill was
then reelected treasurer, A. c. Davenport
auditor of accounts, and Il. f. Gordon
collector, with the same compel sation as
| heretofore, $500.
1t was voted to leave the matters includ-
ed in articles 4, >, q and 10 the discre-
ton Of the committee. The articles were:
To see how many schools the district will
have the ensuing year and how long they
shall continue; to see il the district will
! continue TO receive tuition scholars, and if
50 on what terms: to see if the district will
instruct the committee to employ a super
visor. and to see if the district will in
struct the committee 10 employ music
teacher.
As was expected the discussion of the
evening ceutered on article :, to see what
action, ii any, the district will take rela-
tive TO repairing or recOnstructing the High
street and Chase street schoolhouses. l..
+. 4 adams stated that Architec, Ellsworth
OF Holyoke. Mass, had submitted plans
for -choohouses which he had made for
other towns, which showed that brick
building Of two rooms could be built for
$500 and Of four rooms for SO, 600 c.
II. Thompson then presented the plans,
but they were not examined
The Chase street building was vigorous
y condemned by c. f. Thompson. He
stated that It was over 30 years old, that ii
was absolutely unfit to receive children
summer or winter, that it had been the
means OF the contraction OF contagious
diseases, and that it would have been bet
ter for the district if it had been burned
years ago. In reply 10 question 10y A. c.
Davenport Mr.. Adams said that the High
street building could be raised I'D but
that while hat would overcome the trouble
arising from putting out OF the furnace
fire by the water which filtered in through
the rocks it would not do away with the
dampness occasioned thereby.
DR.. Holton spoke at length upon the ne
cessity Of providing ample room to meet
the requirements of The future. Two rooms
are needed for the pupils of the High
and Chase street schools, grade @ would
have 10 be divided next year, which would
require another room room would be
needed for kindergarten, which the COM
mittee had recommended, and if the pop
ulation of the district increased at its pres
ent rate fifth room would be needed in a
year or two, so that even a building with
six rooms would meet the requirements
for only few years. He suggested that
if new building were built it be made to
contain six rooms and that it be so con-
structed that it could be enlarged as occa-
sion demanded. He also suggested. as a
possible solution of the problem, that the
present High school building be extended in
the rear, which could be done for $4,000
or SIS, 900 without the necessity of buying
a new lot.
Mr.. Collins thought it better economy
to build four room building midway be- |
tween Chase and High streets, as such a
location would be more central. As bear |
ing upon the necessity of providing ample |
room Mr.. Adams gave some figures show |
ing that during the past year the number of |
pupils in the district had increased so and |
that in the past two years it had increased
ll2. Mr.. Adams suggested that a commit |
tee be appointed to ascertain what ought |
to be done and to report at a future meet |
ing. He also stated that the children of |
the third and fourth grades in the High |
school building were too small to be in the |
building and that they should be provided
with room elsewhere.
After some discussion as to the distance
the children had to travel and as to what
would be central location A. C. Dayen-
port moved that committee be appointed
as Mr.. Adams had suggested, and that they
consider especially the question of accom-
modating the small children. Before his
motion was put there was some discussion
as TO whether room in the Canal street
building could be provided by sending some
OF the scholars now attending there to the
school on Washington street, but Mr..
Adams said it would be impracticable as
most OF these scholars had to travel far
enough now as large per cent lived north
of Flat street.
MI Davenport named as members of
the investigating committee II n HoltoD