The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1922-03-04
TOWN MEETING
SUGGESTIONS
FOR VT. WOMEN
President of League of
Women Voters Issues
Statement

Mrs. Carrie w. Ormsbee of
Brandon, president of the League
of Women Voters has issued the
following statement which will in
terest every woman voters in the
state:
Approach of town meeting her
aided by the posting of warnings,
discussion of the high taxes, meet
ings of the board of civil authority
and preparation and posting Of tle
checklist, brings home to the men
of Vermont towns the prospect of
probable change Of aspect in the
crowd at the hall and to Vermont
women the unalterable fact of a
new element in their lives.
"Am | capable of helping con-
duct the business Of our town."
the new voter asks herself. If the
answer is mo" what is she going
to do about it? Something, surely
1t would seem not only loyalty to
her town and to her own selfish in
terests as well but the prompting,
of patriotism would guarantee the
answer: Everything possible to
prepare myself" For there is for
her no escape from the truth tint
it was the government of her coun-
try that issued her call to ENLARGED
service in now, not only home but
also town, county, state and nj
tional housekeeping.
To cast an intelligent ballot for
a town office demands knowledge
of the duties of the office before
decision as to the Qualification of
the candidate. The present town
officers or men up for office will
be found ready to explain 10
groups of women the general du.
ties of an office as well as any
special demands of the present
year. For instance. this NAV be the
year for the quadrennial appraisal
of real estate, when it is addition
ally important to have thorough
w capable board of listers, or all
too likely, the verv unsatisfactory
condition Of roads and streets nav
make election Of we'll qualified
road commissioner well nigh i'm
perative.
No conscientious voter will fail
TO study the town report Compar-
iSon with reports of past wears is
Interesting but not as helpful as if
there had not been tremendous
changes in prices and salaries.
Comparison with reports of sur
rounding towns gains foundation
for opinion on the wisdom of our |
own towns methods and expendi-
lures. One of the first records of |
to strike you on eX-
of your town report |
may perhaps be the astounding |
amount maid for transportation of |
school children-several thousands !
of dollars by small town of a
thousand or two less inhabitants
and this sum paid entirely by those
the village limits. The
children must surely be carried by |
responsible parties, properly pro-
tected, etc, but can't YOU somehow
reduce the cost to the taxpayers?
That is up to the town-not Will
age-school district trustees. See
to to it you have honest courage
Gus men and women, who will not
allow payment to parent for
his own and perhaps
children, when a man
living beyond him is receivinq flu
compensation for school convey
lnce.
In one Vermont town, complying
with the request of a league of
" omen Voters, several town Off
GERS recently demonstrated town
the women acting as the
voters. The warning issued for
March 7 We're used by the modera-
or to determine the order of bust
ness. An excellent little book en-
titled "Citizenship Dramatized,"
published by Henry Holt and Co.,
enables a group entirely unfam-
liar with procedure of a town
county court. etc, to en-
lct instructive civic dramas. New
'oters may not know that meet
mes of the board OF civil AUTHORITY
If listers. etc, are open to the pub
&c, and that such books as those at
he office Of the town clerk arc
egallv always open to inspection.
The check list has been or will
'ely soon be made out at a meet
NO of the board of civil authority
md then "oSted in the office of
he town clerk or some other pub
lc place, when it becomes the
iuty of every voter to see that his
N her name is on this list. for. if
W any mistake it is omitted votiny
It town meeting will be out of the
question
Where the tendenc.- toward cx-
ravagance can be curbed is in the
lome town b. irving direct anil ,
PERSONAL attention to thhe home
own expenditures, What was the
otal amount of your towns rev.
Has your town a bud =
No Ielol 9UI :Ie9E lSed SIul onua
ct system? If so what are the
tens arl how is the budget an Y
ortioncd. Have you town. debto