USA > Vermont > Windsor County > Chester > Annual report of the town of Chester, Vermont for the year ending 1886-1887 > Part 3
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E. A. Marsh 6 22
N. F. Davis 1 00
Geo. S. Robbins, paper for Hoyt House
2 04
N. O. Johnson 75
B. F. Wyman, repairs to Hoyt. House 2 45
E. A. Hall, blacksmithing 7 71
L. E. Benson, threshing 6 24
A. E. Staples. 1 05
J. G. Martin, attorney fees 21 89 )
9 50
Less judgment in favor of town 12 39 5
B. H. Butterfield, 5 yearlings.
57 00
Abram Dodge. 4 50
Hugh Henry 50
Forest H. Moore, sawing wood 7 00
Chas. Robbins, in Gates case 25
S. E. Kingsbury 2 71
A. S. Adams 25 97
$147 17
RECAPITULATION.
Store bills . 218 03
Physicians and medicines 109 17
Labor on farm 495 56
Funeral expenses 43 00
Support of poor off the farm 396 28
Taxes and insurance 50 70
Miscellaneous bills 147 17
Overseer's services, postage and stationery 43 10
$1,503 01 .
23
PROCEEDS FROM THE FARM.
Thos. E. Lonergan, boarding school teacher 17 50
Mr. Anger, one cow 35 00
Mrs. Hoyt. 18 00
A. S. Adams, 15 bushels oats 6 75
A. S. Adams, 15 bushels oats 6 74
W. H. Ormsby, 10 bushels oats 4 50
A. S. Adams, 9 barrels 1 00
E. A. Hall, one cow 27 00
C. F. Howe, 25 lbs. butter
5 50
C. F. Howe, 52 lbs. butter 11 44
W. Ranny, 180 lbs. butter 36 00
1 beef hide. 4 55
Butter and eggs. 29 54
J. S. Chapman. 3 00
Abram Dodge, labor by Ormsbee
2 50
Henry Bemis, oats.
3 15
Henry Bemis, labor by Stowell
1 50
Samuel Abbott 66
1. 75
E. A. Meader 66 66
50
C. A. Reed 66 66
1 50
Samuel Abbott 66 66
2 00
W. H. Emery, butter 37 50
A. E. Staples, apples 6 36
W. W. Barry, hides and poultry 28 35
N. A. Smith, for yearling 16 00
G. F. Hadley, old lead 42
O. W. Fletcher, eggs.
54
Sold by H. C. Stowell to sundry persons 19 45
$ 328 04
Received from town treasurer on his orders 1174 97
$1503 01
24
INVENTORY OF TOWN FARM, STOCK, PRODUCE, TOOLS,' HOUSE-
HOLD FURNITURE, ETC., AS APPRAISED BY A. S. ADAMS, OVERSEER, 1887.
Town farm $4,000 00
Stock. 685 00
Produce
604 00
Farming tools
249 00
Household furniture 252 00
Dairy utensils. 15 00
35 cords stove wood 139 00
8 cords sugar wood. 16 00
$5,960 00
SUMMARY.
COST OF SUPPORT OF POOR.
Appraisal of the farm in 1886. $4,000 00
Appraisal of personal property 1,829 50 $5,829 50
Appraisal this year, farm and personal property . 5,960 00
Appraisal of 1886, farm and personal property .
5,829 50
Increased appraisal this year $130. 50 ... Overseer has paid for support of poor, including services as per report this year $1,503 01
Add interest of appraisal, 1886. 349 77 $1,852 78
Deduct sales from farm 328 04
Deduct this year's increased appraisal
130 50 458 54
Net cost of support of poor past year $1,394 24 Net cost of support of poor previous year $1,391 16
Net cost more than previous year. $3 08
25
SUMMARY SHOWING FINANCIAL CONDITION OF THE TOWN. LIABILITIES.
38 orders drawn prior to last settlement $7,714 69
Interest on above orders. 488 60 15 orders drawn since last settlement .. 1,104 61 Interest on above orders. 37 66
School money to be drawn from treas- ury in March, 1887
1,741 56
Deficiency as reported by high school committee.
329 43
-$11,416 53
ASSETS.
Cash in treasury. .
$788 97
2 notes of W. P. Dodge, constable, sub- ject to abatements. 56 91
Wm. P. Dodge, constable, receipt for $954 33, less $485, paid into the treasury, balance subject to abate- ment. 469 33
Liquors, casks, measures, etc., in hands of O. F. Heald. 320 87
5,000 feet plank at J. D. Powers' mill. 40 00
12,000 feet plank at steam mill 96 00
3,000 feet plank at S. H. Piper's mill. . 24 00
2,000 feet spruce plank. 30 00
1 road machine .. 150 00
5 jack-screws .. . . 25 00
Plows and scrapers 75 00
Gravel banks.
45 00
Old iron and bolts 30 00
Lockup. 150 00.
40 shares of steam mill stock at par value.
2,000 00
Personal property on town farm at overseer's valuation.
1,960 00 $6,261 08
Excess of liabilities over nominal assets.
$5,155 47
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In the above $11,416.55 of the town's indebtedness is includ- ed the $1,741.56 to be divided the 25th of March among the school districts of the town, to meet which your treasurer has on hand $788.97, which sum is needed to provide for the running expenses of the town, therefore it becomes neces- sary for the town to provide for the school fund before the last of March.
Town liabilities last year were ยท $12,144 40
this year are. 11,416 55
Town liabilities decreased. . $727 85
Excess of liabilities over assets this year is. $5,155 47
66
last year was. 4,290 93
Excess of liabilities over assets increased this year. $864 54
Grand list of 1885 was $14,213 31
66 66 1886 is 13,556 15
Grand list decreased. $657 16 All of which is respectfully submitted.
P. H. ROBBINS, ATWOOD SARGEANT, H. L. ALDRICH.
Auditors.
Chester, Vt., Feb. 18th, 1887.
27
CHESTER HIGH CENTRAL SCHOOL.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE.
Your committee beg leave to submit the following report : Amount of tax voted, 8 per cent. $1084 49 There have been three terms of 12 weeks each. Whole num- ber of students in attendance : First term, 40; second term, 58; third term, 51.
Your committee have issued orders in payment of bills accrued, and reported in the expenses of last year as " unpaid," as follows :
No.
41 E. C. Allis, Vt. Tribune advertisement. ..
$3 50
42 Miss Helen Palmer, balance of salary as precep- tress 100 00
43 F. L. Stone, balance of salary as preceptor 65 33
65 Walter J. Hadley, for clock ... 5 50
51 F. W. Pierce, stationery (fractional). 7 25
Your committee have also drawn the following orders for bills accrued last year but not made known to them before the time of their report :
No.
44 G. L. Manley, care of school room 3 99
46 F. L. Stone, blackboards, chairs, etc. 23 86
47 Miss A. H. Boone, house . 8 00
$35 85
We have also given orders as follows for expenses of current year :
No.
48 Pratt Morris, cleaning school room $4 50
49 C. L. Barber, rent piano to April 1st. 19 00
50 W. M. Lyon, for wood. 6 00
.
28
51 F. W. Pierce, stationery (fractional). 2 85
52 A. N. Chandler, printing circulars. 5 00
53 Chas. E. Hall, care of school room to June 25 15 00
54 55 56 57
O. F. Davis, services of himself and wife, term ending June 25. 325 00
Miller & Hadley, dust pan, etc. 1 55
Sophia Morris, cleaning school room 3 25
Chas. T. Whitmore, work and paint on black- board. 2 25
58
Adams & Park, coal, etc ..
48 76
John Cox, work on blackboard and windows .. 1 50
59 60
O. F. Davis, salary self and wife, Fall term ...
350 00
Chas. E. Hall, care of school room, Fall term. 15 00
C. L. Barber, rent piano 15 00
61 62 63 A. N. Chandler, printing course of study . 9 75 64 H. J. Kendall, wood. 11 75
67
F. W. Pierce, stationery 3 55
68 O. F. Davis and wife, services winter term .... 350 00
69
Chas. E. Hall, care of school room and work on wood.
18 00
Total expenses $1,207 71
Received from town tax.
$1,084 49
Received from tuitions 40 37
Total income
$1,124 86
Deficiency this year, three terms
$82 85
Deficiency last year, two terms 246 58
Total present deficiency $329 43
In accounting for the deficiency of the present year, it should be taken into the account that the grand list diminished so that the same per cent (8) raised $52.51 less than last year. Our school asks no apology at any one's hands for the past year. After one failure we have achieved success ; and with our present instruct- ors, we feel not only able but willing to * ivite comparison with
29
any school in this vicinity, and with them we feel confident that we shall be able to count on an increase of tuitions during the coming year. The school and its work is entitled to your generous recognition.
The students of the school, by their own labors, have added the sum of $14, which is to be invested in an encyclopedia. The tuition of Geo. W. Hall, son of Geo. W. Hall of Grafton, remains unpaid, and we ask the sense of the town as to whether it shall be remitted.
Respectfully submitted,
ATWOOD SARGEANT, HUGH HENRY, Committee.
FRED P. MATHER,
30
TOWN SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
During the past year there have been 43 schools taught by 26 teachers in 15 districts, not including the high school. As will be seen, our schools have changed teachers oftener than is advisable for a successful school; however, on the whole our town is doing as good work as could be expected, I think, under our system. There have been some failures dur- ing the year, but there have also been some excellent district schools. Five districts have retained the same teachers for the year ; four have changed every term. The teachers, as a whole, who are hired for the summer schools are too young. Some of the districts are poor, and unable to employ first class teachers. The habit of hiring cheap teachers for small schools is a bad one ; as it often happens that a cheap school will fol- low, proving to be dearest in the end. Habits of negligence, mischievousness and demoralization are the weeds that spring up in cheap schools. Better teachers with longer terms of school are the needs of some of our schools. How many teachers fail because they do not know what they attempt to teach. We need teachers who are educated to teach, not simply to work for pay. I would urge upon all young people who are thinking of teaching, to spend more time in perfect- ing themselves in the branches required to be taught, and the best ways of teaching. The majority of our citizens are educated almost wholly in the common schools ; only a few, comparatively, attend the higher institutions of learning, hence the importance that our schools should be the best possible. Careful education of the people is our only safe- guard. The most cruel tyrant is an ignorant people. If this
31
is true, none should grow up in ignorance. Now that the state has decided against the town system, it only remains for us to put our shoulder to the wheel and do all we can to develop and improve our public schools, under the district system. Do we, as citizens, try to make our schools success- ful ? What have we done, or left undone, in this respect ? How many of our citizens, or committees have visited our respective schools during the year; and what right have we to form opinions unless we take measures to find out the true facts. The duty of our committee does not end with hiring the teacher and placing him in the school. To make our schools most successful, there should be a hearty cooperation between parents and teachers. Irregularity of attendance and tardiness are twin evils for which our parents are mainly responsible. In one school of 9 scholars I find 21 tardy marks, in another of the same number, 13. . Parents, look to it ; the responsibility of these tardy marks, rests in a measure with you. In my opinion, the sooner Vermont adopts the town system the better. There is a great deal of misappre- hension in regard to the practical working of the system. We see the necessity of having good schools for the education of our children. Let us see to it that our school houses are kept in good repair, and competent teachers in them.
MRS. A. A. GIBSON, Supt.
NOTICE-TOWN MEETING.
The inhabitants of Chester, Vt., who are legal voters in town meeting, are hereby notified and warned to meet at the Town hall in said Chester, on Tuesday, the first day of March, A. D., 1887, at 10 o'clock A. M., to act on the following articles, viz .:
I. To choose a Moderator to preside in said meeting.
2. To hear and act upon the report of the Town Auditors and the state of the treasury.
3. To see if the town will adopt the method of collecting taxes the ensuing year as pre- scribed by the Legislature of 1880.
4. To see if the town will fix the compensation to be paid for the collection of all State, State school, county, town, town school and highway taxes on the list of 1887, by receiving bids in writing previous to the election of constable and collector, all persons making bids to state in dollars and cents what they will collect said taxes for-and the person elected to col .. lect the same for the sum he bid.
5. For each voter to deposit his vote for some suitable person for County Commissioner in the county of Windsor, to regulate the sale of intoxicating liquors.
6. To choose town officers for the year ensuing.
7. To see if the town will vote to raise money to pay the current expenses of the town for the year next ensuing, and a part of its present indebtedness, and, if so, how much and when to be collected and paid into the town treasury.
8. To see what course the town will take to keep the highways and bridges in repair for the year ensuing.
9. To see if the town will sell their Hoyt house and lot, so called, in the south village in Chester, and choose .an agent to sell and convey the same.
IO To see what action the town will take in reference to the care and renting of the Town hall and the first story to the same, and choose an agent to act for the town for said purpose.
II. To see if the town will sell their interest in the steam mill property and choose an agent to sell and convey the same.
12. To see if the town will vote to erect, as soon as reasonably may be. a brick library building, to be permanently located in Chester south village, at some point on Main street, westerly from the boot-shop building, so called, and to cost the town not to exceed $3,000, upon condition that Dr. L. G. Whiting, of said Chester, will and shall, before the town incurs any expense or liability by reason of such vote, obligate and bind himself, his heirs and assigns, to donate to the town the sum of $3,000, to be expended in the purchase of books for a library, and for no other purpose, said books to be placed and kept, under proper regula- tions, in said building, and known as the Whiting Free Town Library. And in case the town votes to erect said library building, to see if the town will choose a committee to purchase a site for the same and take charge of the erection thereof.
13: To see if the town will instruct their Selectmen to buy a new hearse.
14. To hear the report of George L. Fletcher, the agent appointed at the annual town meeting in 1885 to sell and convey lots in the cemetery in the south village in Chester, and what he has done with the proceeds of said sales.
15. To see if the town will place the cemetery in the south village in the control of the Selectmen.
16. To see if the town will instruct the Selectmen to suitably fill the low ground in the new part of the cemetery in the south village, if in their judgment it is for the best interest of the town to do so.
17. To see if the town will appoint a committee of three citizens to act and advise with the Selectmen in contracting for new grounds suitable and sufficient for a burying-ground for the town, and to report their action to the town at the next annual town meeting, for ratifi- cation or rejection.
18. To see if the town will vote to buy R. P. Pollard's interest in unoccupied lots in the cemetery in the north village of Chester, and all interest proper to buy, and choose some person or persons to carry the same into effect
19. To see if the town will instruct their selectmen to purchase four large horses to use on the road machine, and when not in use for that purpose to be kept on the town-farm.
20. To see if the town will vote to exempt the polls from taxation of the members of Yo Semite Engine Co. No. I, and the engineers of fire district No. 2, for the year ensuing.
O. L. HINDS, ) Selectmen of
N. F. HALL,
J. H. MARSH, Chester.
Dated at Chester, Vt .. February 16, 1887.
2/11/2011 T 220998 5 1 00
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