The Newtown bee., 1903-07-10

l ao OdouC1y 1Ol ouc Olu6r nlQe. ArU0u
 l: Platt did the honors as umpire
 The final score was 20 to seven.
 ] -~A
 IS THlS A TYPICAL BOARD THEFT
 ING?
 | A SPECTATORS REVIEW,
 Happening to be in town not
 thousand miles from Newtown abou
 two weeks ago, and hearing that ther,
 was joint meeting of the selectmer
 and board of school visitors, to act or
 estimates for support of it's schools fol
 the ensuing year, 1 dropped in. The 1 personnel Oflthe board did not differ
 materially from hundreds of others ir
 country towns except in one important feature: There were no clerical wis
 ages visible. This surely was a grave
 departure from recognized New Eng.
 land precedents, and was deeply in
 terested. "Retrenchment of town
 expenses was the keynote of the
 trenchment, echoed the chief execu- tive of the town. tEverybody says
 the schools are costing too much. We
 must cut them down." Retrenchment
 is a good thing, I thought, but why
 begin with the ax at the root of public
 education? "Yes," said another mem
 Der in raSping voice; "dnd the paul
 pers too. We should not squander
 money on them longer" I looked at
 the speaker who coupled the schools
 with the paupers, and wondered if he
 was the disappointed office seeker who
 failed to land the plum of keeper of
 the town farm, or the provision pur-
 veyor to the institution who had re-
 
 was exceedingly interested and kept my eye on this watch dog of the treas ury, who seemingly never knew of Him who said: 7The poor ye have with you~always." As said, he inter- eSted me. But the chairman put a stop to this discussion as irrelevant, and business began by the clerk calling off districts alphabet tically, beginning with F. Under this caption the first was Flat Swale district. Reports showed same enumeration, same regis try, same average, same teacher as last year, and the vote was to give them the same appropriation. It was done without dissenting vote and watch ed the man with the rasping voice but his hand was motionless and his tongue was mute. Then I began to wonder. Surely he is fair. He be- lieves in the status quo, and will not disturb things where no decrease in districts will warrant welding of the ak. He is conservative, conscientious citizen, thought I, and my interest in- creased, if that were possible. Next the clerk read under caption G, Grace Plot district, as heard so, so the name suggested visions of camp meet ings, and gospel tents and gospel wag- ons, church hymns and choruses, and nCn of that was captivating. l was lost in dreamland when the clerk read: "Lit- tie less enumeration, little less reg istry, little less average attendance, but the same teacher" "MOve the be the same.' I heard Seconded" also. Now I watched my hero of the raSping voice. He certain ly would prove to be up to his convic- tions, and vote for a decrease, no mat ter how slight, to show that my esti- mate was right he was a man and not little mouse, that he was a man of conviction, of probity, of con- Servatlsm and square as a die. the thin white hands and rise in one, and hoy ] prayed that it or that even one word of dis sent from that tongue would break the awful silence while the hands of a ma jority were held aloft; but no, I was doomed to disappointment. His hand did not rise, his voice was not raised in opposition, silence gave consent, a l nerited reduction was not voted, re- Jrenchment lost one votary. My idol | lad fallen and proven to be clay after | Ill, and was sick at heart. lost all | interest after this. The alphabetical | list went on, but whether there were a1iSi0nC nIinCoc yu1 nf h0r rvof, nent won or lost, cannot say for my soul was in the dust. I was about to | 1epart in dejection when 10! the voice l )f my hero again in rasping cadences: l Sandy Hill district is a good place | to retrench. 1 move we cut that ap- in two. Make one bite of | the cherry of retrenchment." Again l ny interest was kind]ed. I was intent | lpon the man and his manner. He | vas pale as sheet, but was primed l for the ordeal. saw good in him again l md would lift my idol from the dust l 1t my feet: Then there was a query | heard: "How does the district stand, MT Chairman?" As the voices of three l others were seconding this move for | made by my resuscita- jed hero, listen for the clerks reply: | "A little less enumeration, little less | registry; the same average and the | same teachers; but the average is greater than any other two districts in ] the township" There was a murmur 1 )f disapproval, and l looked at my 1 nero. He would prove Daniel come 3o judgment, withdraw his motion, do | justice though the Heavens fell! I would not be deprived of finding out ny hero at last. He would not in pur- blind love of the God of Retrenchment | 10 a manifest injury to his nobler con- Viction, for surely he is a noble man, md though he have neither chick nor child himself, he will not wrong those who have, for, he was once a child if now he is hard headed man of the world. All this I said to myself, for I would not be de- prived of my hero to the last. But the stroke fell, even while l yearned. "I insist on the motion, gentlemen. If you want to retrench now is the time, md this is the place to do it. Don't let us eat it in giblets, butswallow the ,ritter WhOle!" The motion prevailed | four to three. l was helpless. was about to flee in terror from the place when the joint board dissolved, by the school visitors retiring, and I was alone with the selectmen who were together for the approval of bills against the township. This board con- listed of three members of whom my 'alse hero was one. I wanted to flee lis presence, but a fatal fascination leld me. A pile of bills were handled ,ver, signatures attached and the bills handed to the treasurer, who paid hem to the rightful persons. Last ny false one presented his bill for sal try of his snug sinecure. I looked over lis shoulders and read:
 Town of Nowhere, Dr., To Wisenut 3orer, Or; to six months services as electman; six board meetings at