The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-12-09
"TOWN MEETINGS
 OF COLONIAL DAYS"
Time Was When Each Town Sovereign to Itself in
 Home Affairs
Church and State Were as One Then and Same Meeting Which Laid the Taxes Fro vided For the Parsons Pay

Norwich, Conn, Dec. 5<-JnteFsss~ ing facts of the Connecticut of Colon~ ial days are contained in the paper by Miss Sarah l.. Tyler Of this city, on Town Meetings of Colonial Days a. manuscript available today. It said in part:
 "In Connecticut between 1893 ana 1862 was the golden age Of the New England town. Each town was little state, having control of It's own affairs. The town meeting was government of pure democracy
 'To the early settlers of Connect cut, the distinction between civil and ecclesiastical affairs was not clearly defined. Town business and church business were often settled at the same meeting. Until 17Z7 the same body laid the taxes, called the min ister and provided for his salary, The code of 1850 required that all per- sons should be taxed for church az we'll as for state and both taxes were levied and collected the same way.
 Before the meeting house was built the religious services were held in the house of ohe of the planters did not view the meeting house as consecrated place, and used 1t for an public purposes without any com punctfon of conscience The n8fIf- IdIy 7tores were kept Insfe ds De9HS central. As late as 17s5 the Nor wich Second Congregational church was nsed as a polling place, when 1s was forbidden because the people spit so much tobacco on the floor.
 Officers.
 "The first officers created by fhe inhabitants were towDsmen, conssa~ bles and surveyors. The town had the power of vetoing such actions Of the townsmen as they did not aD- prove. After the establishment of the governm ent the church and the minister were foremost in the minds of the colonists. The contract with Rev. Fitch of Norwich is characteris- tic. He was offered 5z pounds year and his board, while he remain ed without a family, When he had a family he was to get SC loads of wood 8 year, 50 pounds in money and 26 pounds in work or grain.
 Expectations of Animals and Birds.
 How serious the depredatfons Of wild animals, birds and serpents upon the young colonies is shown by the town records of bounties. Fines were imposed OF the male inhabitants 60 spur them on in hunting the fox ard the wolf.
 Schools and Schoolmasterz.
 "The schools and schoo1nasters were also provided for in town meet ing. Windsor in 1874 had quite a problem deciding h v much it would pay MT. Cornish. Some wished tfs children to pay five si1illfngs q duar- ter. others wished the town to pay the whole expense. Tn New Haven in 1641, the following vote was passed For the better training of the youth, that through Gods blessing they may be fitted for publique service here after, either in church or Common veal, it is ordered that a free school be set up and an allowance of zS pounds yeare for the schoolmasteT,s care and payns.'
 The Whipping Post and PiUovy.
 "The whipping post and pfl1orv In April, 1883, the town Of Windsor agreed with Robert Bartlett for inc making of a pair of stocks with nine holes fitted to put on the irons.
 Race FecJfng.
 "The race feeling seems to have been very strong for in New Lon don, i727, it was voted This town s0 utterly oppose and protest sgsfnsf Robert Jecklin, negro man, buying any land in this town or being an fn- habitant within said town.
 Revolutionary Times
 "On the margin of many town books is inscribed Liberty Liberty Liberty" British products were bo1- cOtted. At town meetings the ssta6- lishment of domestic n1anUfacfurew was recommended. The people of Windsor, Hartford, and New Haven did their share in providing for the continental army, both in food and clothing, but the town meeting rse- ords conflne themselves chiefly to bounties to soldiers and ways ard means of securing money for the towns expenses during the revoIa- tionary. war"