The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-02-06

good. Thoad knew that MT. Griswold couldn't read. Thoad knew that voters are, by law, compelled to demonstrate their ability to read. So Thoad did his best and started a one-man night school. Prince Charming was the prize pupil. but his progress was slow.
 When the worthy citizenry next met to investigate the qualifica- tions of voters to be made, Opposi- ton forces chuckled when they saw Griswold's name on the list. They laughed out loud when Prince Charming made 8 pass at reading and held the book upside down. ''Why, that man can't read!"' blasted a good Democrat. "He sure cant" MT. Wheeler assured all hands. ''I seen him read! He can read most as good as mel" (Which was true). Meanwhile, MT. Gris- wold was rolling his tobacco from one cheek to the other and w0n- dering why his memory failed at such 2 crucial moment. It just wasn't human to deprive man the privilege of voting when the town was torn by internal strife and folks were whetting axes. But Griswold just couldn't remember.
 Thoad Wheeler was perplexed but not for long. Spying a dog li- cense poster on the wal, Thoad tore it down, put his stubby finger on the picture of a setter and roared, Mister Griswold, read them words there!" Griz gulped and turned red. "D-O-G!" yelled Thoad; Whats that, Griz? Whats that, right there!" And Thoad's finger quivered as he pointed to the picture. Prince Charming saw great light. He was saved. He had an opportunity to vote, just like the Mitchells and the Canf1elds and all other quality folks. Griz took a deep breath, rolled his eyes and, in a voice that rattled the rocks on Rattlesnake, shouted; Dog! .. Dog-gone it!" =. There" sez Thoad, satisfied-l like, T told all you folks that Mister Griswold could read"
 That's the way it should be-. PeO- pie should have chance, and they shouldn't have to sign away their rights to get their chance. We're not half careful enough about the defense of our rights and, if we're not careful, sOmeday we'll wake up to find our rights have been taken from us. There's Ike Piatt, for ex- ample. Ike's potato farmer who makes milk on the side. He has the distinction of having served one of the most constructive terms ever served in the General Assem- bly, by any man from this valley. (S0me people wonder if it wouldn't make good contest to set Ike up again?) We'll, Ike has children and, unless your children are sub normal and state charges, the town is responsible for their proper edu- cation. Ike figures his children get a better education in Pierce HOl- low than in the Purchase District, so the young Platts go to Pierce Hollow school, just like Jim Cas- sidy's boy used to. It's free cOun- try and folks who pay taxes for the support of schools should have right to send their youngsters to the schools best fitted for the proper guidance of those kids. But it doesn't work out that way here. For some reason, possibly political, Ike Platt has to furnish transp0r- tatiOn for his children, to Pierce Hollow school. Rumor has 1t that the school board has ruled that the Purchase school is within walking distance of the Platt farm, and that Ike's little folks should therefore find it easy to go to the Purchase School. That's one way of looking at 1t, of course, and may be it's the right way. But 1t doesn't make sense to have the school busses make two trips over one particular route because par ents Object to smaller children riding with larger ones, and then to refuse point blank to make 1t pos sihlA for another family to send