One-hundred years ago in The Hardwick Gazette, May 20, 1926
WILBER FISK MEMORIAL, M. E. CHURCH
Craftsbury, Vermont
Last Thursday morning Mr. LeBaron of Morrisville, head sarpenter (sic), appeared on the church lot with two helpers, and began to erect forms for the concrete wall. About ten o’clock Mr. Debrune of Greensboro, appeared with two helpers, and straightaway with (sic) wall began to rise. Saturday afternoon the wall was about half done. Everything seems to hamlve (sic) about like clockwork, and no little creidt si (sic) due to Mr. Allen, representative of the Building Committee, who watches every motion.
All the musical young people are requested to meet for rehearsal at the home of Mrs. Kemp Saturday evenings until further notice. We need some more male voices.
The topic for Sunday next is “The Business of Living.” The, Church Sejhool (sic) will be rearranged so that Mrs. Kemp may have her Primary Division down staris (sic) The Men’s and Ladie’s (sic) classes may meet upstairs and the Young Menas uaual (sic).
Dr. A. W. Hewitt of Plainfield, will be the speaker at Baccalaureate service, May 23, at the Congregational Church on the Common.
from the Hardwick Gazette, May 20, 1926
Seventy-five years ago in The Hardwick Gazette, May 17, 1951
BARBER SHOP SINGERS FOR TULIP FESTIVAL
At the Town Hall, Friday May 25, at 8:15 P. M. the Barber Shop Singers, of the Montpelier Chapter of the S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A. will present a program of harmony, which is the first night of the Vermont Tulip Festival, here next week-end, May 25-26-27.
Translated, the above initials are The Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, Inc., which aspires to preserve for its members and for all future generations of prospective members the sacred right of men to seek haven from the burden of their daily cares through indulgences in old-fashioned vocal quarter (sic) harmony.
A very entertaining evening is in store. The following was taken from a recent issue of the Montpelier Evening Argus: “Close harmony fans, and there are hundreds, will delight in the program and the quartets will enjoy themselves too. They sing because they like to and this adds spontaneity and sparkle to any Barbershop singing, which is often lacking when paid performers make an appearance.
“Almost every man gets the urge to sing at some time or other. His voice may be such that, for the sake of his family and peace in his neighborhood, he should confine it to a barrel at the bottom of a deep well, but the urge is still there. There are also countless males from 18 to 81, who can sing acceptably, want to sing but have no opportunity. The Barbershop society provides them with the desired outlet.”
Other plans are fast developing to completion for the Festival. The preliminaries of the horseshoe pitching will be held Friday afternoon with the finals on Saturday afternoon. Entrants are expected from Craftsbury, Danville, St. Johnsbury as well as locally.
Reservations for the buffet style supper, which will be held at the school auditorium at 5:30 P. M. Saturday, May 26, should be made to Dr. A. B. Warren, not later than May 24.
Word was received from Dr. W. Hugh Riddell of Burlington this morning that he had received the official certificate and picture of the tulip bloom, which will be known as the Warren Austin Tulip. The presentation of which will be made to the U. S. Representative to the United Nations at the Tulip Festival Ball Saturday night. Three of the blooms are to be flown here from Holland especially for this presentation, which will be made by Dr. W. Cnoop Koopmans, Consul General of the Netherlands to the United States.
Gerald M. Ladd, Festival publicity chairman, was in Burlington Tuesday evening where he discussed the coming Tulip Festival at a meeting of the Burlington Garden Club at the home of Mrs. Fannie Shaw. He also showed slides of last year’s Festival. A group from this Club are planning to attend the Festival.
Fifty years ago in The Hardwickian, May 18, 1976
MOTHER-DAUGHTER BANQUET
from the Hardwick Gazette, May 15, 1951
A large gathering of mothers and daughters turned out for the annual Mother and Daughter Banquet held last Tuesday night at the United Church.
A turkey supper was prepared and served by the Men’s Fellowship.
Mrs. David Johnson was Toastmistress for the evening and led the group in singing grace.
Recognition was given to Connie Ainsworth, 11 months, youngest daughter; Minnie Riach, oldest mother; Cynthia Colburn and Susan Limoge, youngest mothers; Mrs. Ann Ainsworth and Mrs. Martha Calcagni, mothers with the most daughters; Mrs. Earline Atkins, oldest daughter present with mother, Mrs. Eleanor Scott; Renee Limoge, daughter in one to one and one half age group and Wendy Holcomb, two and one half to three age group.
There were four families with four generations present:
Mrs. Minnie Riach and her daughter, Mrs. Eleanor Perry, and her daughter and granddaughter, Valerie Putvain and Jennifer Perry.
Mrs. Martha Calcagni and her daughters, Mrs. Shirley Moffett, Mrs. Frances Houston and Mrs. Dorothy Goodwin; their daughters, Mrs. Janet Slayton, Mrs. Sybil Messier, Mrs. Marijane Weglarz and Debi Goodwin; and their daughters, Deana Slayton, Maria Messier and Heidi Weglarz.
Mrs. Eleanor Scott and her daughter, Mrs. Earline Atkins; her daughter Arlene Robinson and her daughter Lori.
Mrs. Glenna Hovey and, her daughter, Mrs. Ruby Perry; her daughters Mrs. Susan Limoge and Mrs. Diane Molleur and Mrs. Limoge’s daughter, Renee.
Miss Betsy Behrens and Miss Marion Whitcomb, students from Johnson State College, entertained the group with religious and folk songs, some of which were written by them and other Vermonters.
Ten years ago in The Hardwick Gazette, May 25, 2016
Voters Saddle Up For Budget Ride Of Unknown Distance
WALDEN — Voters turned down the Walden School budget last week 87-131. Of the 673 voters on the checklist, less than one-third cast ballots on the budget May 17.
from the Hardwick Gazette, May 23, 2001
Last week’s vote was requested by the School Board at Town Meeting. The board wanted to develop a better budget knowing what changes the Legislature enacted concerning education financing after Town Meeting Day. The effort went for naught.
When the next vote will be held is unknown. How many votes will be needed before a school budget is approved is unknown.
The defeated budget of $2,580,369 is an increase from the current year of .19 cents per $100 of assessment. The current year tax rate was lower as a result of applying an unreserved fund balance, or surplus, to the budget to reduce the tax rate needed to support the budget. The local homestead tax rate is .05 cents less per $100 assessment than two years ago.
Town Clerk Lina Smith said six votes were needed in 2013 to pass a budget. One was lower in turnout than this year’s but the others had a greater number of people voting.
On Town Meeting Day 2013, the checklist had 668 voters and the vote was 84-80, in favor with 25 percent of the voters casting ballots. A reconsideration vote on May 7, 2013 had 655 on the checklist and the budget failed 66-197. The percentage was 40 percent.
On June 5, 2013, with 660 voters on the checklist, the budget failed 115-213 with 50 percent of voters casting ballots.
An election on the budget on July 23, 2013 with 50 percent of votes (sic) participating, the budget failed 112-221. Again on Oct. 22, 2013, with 665 voters on the checklist and 53 percent casting ballots, the budget failed 149-200. The final vote on Dec. 17, 2013 saw 47 percent of the 657 voters cast ballots and the budget passed 176-131.
No one knows how many votes will be needed this year before a budget is approved.
Superintendent Mathew Forest indicated the School Board will try to schedule a meeting this week to address the budget issue but a date had not been set by press time.
“The failure to pass the school budget is very concerning,” he said. “Any further cuts to the budget will significantly impact the educational programming at the Walden School. The board will be reconvening this week to regroup and move forward.”
