Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1907-03-15

long drawn out discussion of the
school department finances made an eN-
tended session in the special meeting OF
the town school district in West Brattle-
boro Tuesday night. School Superntend-
.ant Luther NJ. Keneston attempted TO eN-
pain the reasons for asking for 30 per
cent school tax this year instead OF the
IS per cent tax last year. He also en-
deavored to throw light on the subject OF
the overdrawn school directors account,
but could do no more than declare that
there was less money to run the depart
rnent with than the directors had sup
posed The decrease was from the tall-
IRE of the state to turn over the regular
5000 for the use of the district schools
The increased tax rate was to make up
for this curtaiment this year, also for
the loss due to the return of the United
States deposit money.
A contest for school director to take the
place of DR.. G. p. Hunter enlivened the
first of the meeting. Three ballots were
necessary before Carl s. Hopkins was
elected, his opponent being Walter l..
sylvester. The articles in the town war
rant in regard to selling unused school-
houses and i'm building a new schoolhouse
near the old brickyard were passed over
without action a so per cent tax was
voted.
The main hall of the academy building
was hardly large enough to hold the IN
terested crowd who came to witness the
meeting as wen as the large gathering of
voters About 100 men were present as
voters and nearly a score of women some
of whom took advantage of the permits
sion to cast ballots for school director.
Town moderator, II. ID. Holton came up
and opened the meeting and F. d. h.
stowe was elected chairman. He asked
to be excused and that DR.. Holton Keep
the chair but DR.. HOlton said that he
nn a 10 a resident OF the VII
Iage. AS he went out DR.. Holton eX-
pressed hope that they would have as
much fun as there was in the regular
town meeting.
The first item of business was the cleo
ton of a school director to take the place
of DR.. C. p. Hunter whose term expired
this year. r. c. Bacon said that for
some time the school directors had been
residents of West PrattleborO and he
thought it was time that the outside dis
tricts were represented. He nominated
Walter L. Sylvester. Carl S. Hopkins,
F. d. E. Stowe and DR. Hunter were also
nominated. Mr. Stowe and DR.. Hunter
both declined to run for the Office.
On the first ballot ia votes were cast
making 5S necessary for a choice. Dr.
Hunter received SO. Mr.. Sylvester 40. Mr..
Hopkins 10. The second ballot had lOS
votes cast, necessary for choice 50; Dr.
Hunter 3, Sylvester 81. Hopkins SO. on
.essary for choice SIS; Mr.. Hopkins re-
ceived SO and was declared elected. Mr.
sylvester received "a and DR.. Hunter re-
ceived one The tellers were r. c. Ba-
con, H. f. Weatherhead and Warren l..
Walker. Merton MicOtt guarded the bal
lot box as constable.
The next item of business was the ar
ticle in the town warrant to see if the
schoolhouses in districts 5, and should
be sold On motion of f. II. Davenport
the article was passed over without dis
-cussion. The next article was to see If q
-schoolhouse should be built and furnished
near the old brickyard. on a question
from Fred Brown as to why this article
was inserted in the warrant, David Perry
said that there had been criticism of the
expense of transportation from the out
lying districts and a schoolhouse there
would make the transportation expense
less. The school board did not recon
mend a schoolhouse there but the article
was inserted to test the feeling of the
school district. There were advantage!
TO be had in the central school system anC
he doubted if the actual expense would
be any less If a house was built there
On motion of Rev. L, M Keneston this
article was also passed over without fur
Gher comment.
Under the item o. general business thu
question of raising a school tax was takeI
up. Mr. Keneston spoke of the recon
mendation of the school board that a tai
of so per cent. on the grand list be raised
He said that he understood that thu
selectmen had the power to apportion {
school tax up to rs per cent. of the CRANE
list. Mr.. Stowe read a statute to SHOW
that the selectmen could appropriate no
more than one-half nor less than one
fifth of the tax for school purposes
]. G. Stafford asked how much NOR
money the extra Is per cent. would Civ
to the school board. Mr.. Keneston salt
that it would make a difference of les
than one per cent. as 1405 per cent. wa
needed to make up for the deficiency