New Britain herald., 1920-02-11
FEW COMPLAINTS ID
 BOARD OF RELIEF
Does Not Expect to Be OVer-
 Whelmed by Petitions
SATISFACTION APPARENT
Brotherhood of the Congregational
 Church Will Hold Open, Meeting 1his Evening at 7:15 o'CIock-Other
 Plainvi1le News and Gossip.

The board of relief has received
 put lew appeals for reduction of val
 nations on property in this town at
 its several meetings which have been
 held this month. The board will
 nave the remainder of February in
 which to complete it's work and at the
 end Of that period the notice of the
 town meeting for the laying of the
 annual tax rate will be published
 The board does not expect to be
 overwhelmed by petitions for de-
 creases in assessments. although the
 assessors increased the valuation this
 year of nearly all property and prac-
 tlcalIE all of the taxpayers received
 notice of the increaSe The reason
 for the increase is the rapidly mount
 ing expense of maintaining the pub
 lie schools.
 Few if any of the property owners
 look forward to a reduction of the
 tax rate. The instructors in \ the
 schools were recently granted an in
 crease Tn salary which will total
 about $4,000. This addition to the
 expense budget besides the great in-
 crease over last years expenses in
 the maintenance of the schools will
 make it essential that the tax rate
 be kept at least at it's present figure
 and it is possible that an increase may be necessary.
 There has been little discussion thus far this year of the possibilities contained in the question of the tax rate. This is surprising, as in pre- vious years public interest was cen- tered on the question for many weeks before the publication of notice of the annual meeting. The meeting will De held at some time next month. Brotherhood Meeting Tonight ne Brotherhood of the CongreEa- t1onal church will hold an open meet ing this evening at 7:45 o'clock at the parish house. The men of the town have been extended a cordial invitation by the pastor, Rev. F. C. Gillette and by the committee in charge of arrangements. Newcomers in town are given a special invitation to attend. Refreshments will be served.
 Observe Lincolns Birthday. Tomorrow will be Lincoln's birth day and will be observed in the usual manner here. The Plainville Trust company will close it's doors for the day as usual on a legal holiday The factories and stores will not close, nor will the schools, although appropriate l exercises will be carried out in the grades. The post office will have holiday hours with the stamp window | open from 6:45 o'clock to 12:3O D. l m. The War Savings Stamps and Thrift Stamps will be on sale during those hours. No money orders will be issued and there will be but one city 1 delivery. Rural delivery will be made usual.
 Pupils to Debate. The Ora mmar school will observe Washington birthday, which comes on Sunday, February P. with exer- | CiSeS pertinent to the occasion on Fri l day, February 20. Patriotic songs and recitations will make up the program in the primary grades In the eighth grade there will be a debate l on the question of the relative merits ] of Abra ham Lincoln and George Washin gton with respect to their ] services to the United States Tho 1 pupils to take part are as follows: 1 Howard Ryder, Harold Fletcher. Ed l mundo Dorazio, Louis Genetino. Leon F'owk owski and Carl Erickson. The plan of holding debates for the eighth grade pupils has been carried out for 1 the past few years in the school as a ] part of the English class course of l study. The object is to fit the pupils ! for appearance in public after leav- l ing school. Orrin l.. Judd, the princi- r pal, introduced the plan of holding l debates
 Trolley Strikes Sleigh. ! A sleigh in which Mr and Mrs. Le- rry Martin, both of this town. were riding was struck by a New Britain l trolley shortly after o'clock last 1 evening on East Main street. The leio ob "a S damaged but the occupants of the | sleigh escaped unhurt.
 Donald McCirath. Donald, the 16-months- old son of