Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1903-02-14
THE TOWN REPORTS.

'hS "Hiiu'l Iepo'tN VI tiic to"i'
officers were put in the hands of the
voters this week for consideration
and approval or d,sapproval.
The selectmen's report shows that
miscellaneous orders amounting to
S53oo.97 were drawn, aud orders for
bridges and bridge work amounting
to $3I7IIS.
Road Commissioner Woods le-
port shows the total e%ponSc Of high
WAYS and bridges to have been
$5a26.36. OF this $I3SS 90 was for
permanent ;oad work, $576.S6 OF
this amount being paid by the State.
The total cost of the support of
Woodstock's poor, according to
Ovcrseer Montague's report, was
$a63o.a4. OF this amount $3.50 was
fol buildings and repairs at the farm.
/ he sales at the town liquor agrns
cy for the year amounted to $I775.79,
OH WHICH there was profit Of
$I44.o9
One hundred and eighty-fol,r dogs
paid $247 in licenses.
For the rental of Music hall and
the town hall the town received
500. Expenses figured $oS5.76,
leaving il bnlhnce of $2o.24.
The total liabilities of the town,
the financial summary shows, are
Sl9,9S5.4S; assets, $3235.2s, in
Guiding $I733 So cash ON hand; net
Indebtedness, $l6.75o.23, decrease
of $5tt5.2a since the last report.
The total cost of shc schools last
year was $Io,oo6.SS, and the town
received $649.5S for tuition.
The rrport Of Supt. {. +. Part
ridge congratulates the .own upon
the condition of the schools as a
whole aud refers to some popular
errors concerning them, Submitting
very sensible suggestions in the
course of bis explanations. IN re-
gard to the supposed extreme cost
of the schools, the report shows that
it is but little more than the average
throughout the State, and much less
than in most of the larger Towns.
The report calls particular atten-
ton to the miserable condition of
some of the school bulldogs. though
most of them outside the village, the
superintendent says. arg in very good
shape. After brief reference TO
some minor Improvements needed,
he says:
"But the old building at South
Woodstock should have been dis
posed of Years ago and new one
erected in "A more suitable location.
No citizen could 90 into the present
building and observe its condition
without saving that the credit Of the |
whole town as well as the needs Of |
that particular section demand that !
this should be done immediately.
With even greater emphasis the same
should be said with reference to the
buildings on River and Stanton
streets, in the village, which were
never adapted to school use, and
would most certainly be condemned
under the state laws now governing
the construction of school buildings.
Without doubt they have lain the
foundation for more weak ewes and
trail bodies than any other agency in
town, to say nothing of being con-
tinual menace to life and limb
through their shabby construction,
narrow winding sta,rcases and gen
orally demoraiized conditi m. In all
my knowledge of the State ! do not
know where to find two school houses
which are such veritable firetraps as
hese two buildings. To retain them
or school use means the expenditure
u d large sum Of money for imme-
late repairs, and no amount of
money can make the lot on Stanton
,treet fit place for a school house.
'nless it were PLANNED 10 have Il
wimming-pool under it,"