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The Cabot Chronicle

May 2015 · Issue Record

← From the Cabot Chronicle

The community record for this issue of the Cabot Chronicle, extracted from the original pages. Reprinted with permission from the Cabot Chronicle.

Original issue: Download the May 2015 pages (PDF)

Text extracted from the original pages and checked for reading order. Advertisements, listings, the calendar and puzzles are omitted. Where part of a story could not be converted cleanly, it is marked and the full story is in the PDF.

In This Issue

Memorial Day and Veterans Day

Two national holidays, Memorial Day and Veterans Day, honor the sacrifice of Americans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces and celebrate the people who served and the values Americans hold as a nation: duty, honor and civic responsibility. The holidays, though they commemorate the sacrifices of thousands of American service members, are distinctly different. Memorial Day is the older of the two holidays, having its roots in the Civil War. First known as Decoration Day, it was instituted by former Union Army Maj. Gen. John A. Logan, to honor those who died in the armed forces. Logan, later a U.S. senator from Illinois, became the first commander-in-chief of the organization of Union veterans called the Grand Army of the Republic. With General Orders No. 11, Logan designated May 30, 1868, "for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country" and conduct special services as circumstances permitted. "Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten, as a people, the cost of a free and undivided republic," he declared. He also asked that the nation renew its pledge to assist the soldier's and sailor's widows and orphans.

The general said he inaugurated the observance "with the hope it will be kept up from year to year, while a survivor of the war remains to honor the memory of his departed comrades." The observance has continued, although now Memorial Day is observed as the last Monday of May. The establishment of Veterans Day as a national holiday had a different purpose. It stems from the armistice that ended combat in World War I, Nov. 11, 1918. It honored all who had served in the U.S. Armed Forces in World War I. The holiday was officially called "Armistice Day" in 1926 and became a national holiday 12 years later. It would probably still be known as Armistice Day had World War I, "The War to End All Wars, lived up to that nickname. A few years after the day became a national holiday, the United States entered a war — World War II —that called on more than 16.5 million American men and women to serve in the U.S. military. Of those, some 292,000 died in battle. Representative Edwin K. Rees of Kansas proposed that November 11 be set aside as an occasion to honor those who served America in all wars, instead of only World War I. Shortly afterward, in 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower signed the bill which officially changed the name of the holiday and broadened its purpose.

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 1 onward.

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Sense of Community

By Brigitte Codling A sense of community has been defined as, “A feeling of belonging, a feeling that members matter to one another and to the group, and a shared faith that members' needs will be met through their commitment to each other.” (McMillan, 1976) I grew up in Waterbury, Vermont, attending Waterbury Elementary School through the sixth grade, and Harwood Union High School in Moretown from seventh through twelfth grade. Growing up in Waterbury, I always had a very strong sense of my community. Waterbury was where my childhood friends lived, my family resided, where I played, swam, and rode my bike. It’s where we watched the Fourth of July parade, played hide and seek in the cemetery, and where we ate pizza at the local pizzeria. It was our town, our place. When it was time to broaden our horizons and start high school, we carried our community with us as we rode south in busses along Route 100; we were the “Waterbury” kids. We spread our wings and made connections with kids from other towns, but we were always “from Waterbury”. We thrived, grew, and learned in the diverse environment of that union school, but we never lost our sense of community. For the past fourteen years, I have called Cabot home. I was married here and my husband and I have raised our five kids here. For our children, Cabot is home, they are “from Cabot,” and Cabot is their community. Two of my children have already graduated high school (one from Cabot and one from Danville) and neither of them attributes their connection to Cabot to having gone to Cabot High School. As for me, I am still “from Waterbury”. Over the past few years, I have heard many people from Cabot say that, with- (See Sense of Community, page 3)

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MAY 18 & 28 7:00 p.m.

Cabot School Performing Arts Center

Discussion on rebuilding the current elementary

school and gymnasium and gather input on potential models for Cabot School as a whole.

See article on page 9

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 1 onward.

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REPORT FROM THE LEGISLATURE

By Representative Catherine (Kitty) Toll

Several large bills were voted out of the House in April and have been forwarded on to the Senate for consideration. These bills include H.490 –an act relating to making appropriations for the support of government; H.489 – act relating to revenue; 361 – an act relating to making amendments to education funding, education spending, and education governance; H. 35 – an act relating to improving the quality of state waters; and S.141 - an act relating to the possession of firearms.

H.490 – an act relating to making appropriations for the support of government - passed the House on a vote of 96

– 46. The bill closed a $113 million gap between state revenues and expenditures. Using a three-prong approach identifying cuts, using one-time dollars as a bridge for short term expenditures and raising revenue - was the strategy used to balance the budget. With revenues projected to increase at 3% and expenditures at 5%, the proposal includes a new section to the budget, “intent language”, outlining a multiyear process to bring revenues and spending into balance. This language states intent to reduce reliance on one-time funding for on-going expenses, to create budgets based on less than 100% of forecasted revenue, to consider moving to a two year budgeting cycle, and to establish multi-year analysis of budget proposals and program costs impacting future budgets. Over $53 million dollars in cuts were identified and passed to balance the 2016 budget. These include, but are not limited to, $35.6 million in reductions to programs and services in the Agency of Human Services, reductions to labor costs, and decreases to the working lands grants, the military and the state libraries. The budget fully funds the state’s reserves, fully funds the general fund transfer to the education fund; restores partial funding to Vermont Interactive Technologies, reduces the Governor’s proposed 50% cut to a 6% reduction to the Community High School of Vermont, supports funding to the Veteran’s Home, and provides the state’s judiciary system with $500,000 of one-time funding as a bridge allowing time to restructure, achieving long-term savings. The House Ways and Means Committee proposed $33 million in new revenue to support the state budget. H.489 passed the House on a vote of 90 – 53. The revenue proposal eliminates the itemized deductions for up to $5,000 of state and local income taxes paid in the prior year, and caps remaining itemized deductions for Vermont tax filers at two and a half times the standard deduction. Statistics provided by the tax department indicate 27% of resident taxpayers who itemize are affected by this proposal and 6.4% of filers are affected by the 2 ½ cap on standard deduction. This bill is now being considered by the Senate Finance Committee.

H.361 - an act relating to making amendments to education funding, education spending, and education governance - passed the House and is in the Senate Education Committee for deliberation. Many changes were made to the bill just as it was brought to the House floor, and the Senate is proposing additional changes to the bill. As passed the house, the purpose of the bill is to reform education funding, spending and governance creating education quality, stability and sustainability. The bill also aims to address greater equity in student opportunity. Elements of the bill include:

· Creating larger education districts where possible

· Restructuring small school grants

· Setting a threshold to impose caps on local spending increases in 2018 and 2019

· Revising the hold harmless provisions

· Establishing a health care cost work group

· Setting the 2016 property tax rates ($1.52 non-residential; $.98 homestead; base income amount of 1.94 percent). The Vermont educational system is supported by over $1 billion through the collection of property taxes, 35% of all sales taxes collected in the state, and 33% of purchase and use taxes, as well as all proceeds from the Vermont lottery and an annual transfer from the state general fund to the education fund for a total just shy of $1.6 billion dollars.

H.35 - an act relating to improving the quality of State waters - passed the House on a vote of 133 to 11. The purpose of this comprehensive water quality bill is to address all sources of pollutants to Vermont’s waters and define a funding mechanism to support this muchneeded clean-up effort. The bill is being modified in the Senate Natural Resources Committee. Following a four hour floor debate, S.141 – an act relating to the possession of firearms- passed the House on a vote of 80-62, and previously passed in the Senate on a vote of 20-8. Highlights of S.141 include:

· Constitutes a misdemeanor crime for a person to possess a firearm that has been convicted of a violent offense or adjudicated mentally ill.

· Reports names of individuals prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms for mental health reasons to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). These reports are confidential and only include information sufficient to identify the person and the reason for the report.

· Requires that the Departments of Public Safety and of Mental Health report on progress in establishing a Vermont version of the New Hampshire Gun Shop Project, an initiative in New Hampshire to reduce the number of firearms-related suicide deaths by helping gun shop owners avoid providing firearms to suicidal persons.

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COUNTRY COMMENTARY

How Does the Sugaring Go?

I don’t know a whole lot about it, but my partner and I made syrup on an old box wood stove in our woodshed using lasagna pans and bread pans. I think we made twelve gallons that year? Give or take. It Is time consuming but it was a world of fun. I would have loved to do it with a pair of horses and a sleigh but, alas, we have no horses nor a sleigh. One thing is true about sugaring, you don’t freeze with the stove burning and the sap a roiling and a boiling. I love Maple syrup but I love maple sugar, too. It is wonderful in cooking and makes a mean cup of joe! It was the maple trees that had me falling in love with Vermont at the age of three. I still like to just sit inside of an old hollowed out maple as it still lives and has leaves far above. Nice place to contemplate the universe and such. We have huge maple trees that hang over one of our ponds and creates lovely shade from the summer sun. I can almost hear the rustling of those leaves. From tiny buds do the leaves grow. I make a nice squash pudding, or custard, rather, with maple syrup that is to die for! The trick is to put the pie plate you are using inside another that is bigger and fill the bottom one with water. The custard comes out perfect every time, mmm mmm! YUM! Maple creemies are wonderful summer fare, and I recall my very first one with too much clarity. It was the most blustery day, and hot. My friend said · Aligns Vermont with the other 49 states and the federal government that currently prohibit possession of a firearm by violent offenders, and 38 states that require or authorize the use of certain mental health records for use in a firearm background check. Finally, S.2 - an act relating to the establishment of a State Latin Motto passed both the Senate and the House. “Stella Quarta Decima Fulgeat” - “May the 14th Star Shine Bright” was brought to the attention of Senator Benning by high school student Angela Kubicke of Peacham. The bill was signed into law by the Governor at Latin Day at the University of Vermont. The motto joins Vershe’d treat, as I had never had a maple creemie before, so how could I say no to that. We went to a stand with picnic tables and we sat down to make ourselves comfortable, but the wind caught my dripping ice cream and I had it all over my hair, hands, face, pants. Suffice to say, I was a complete mess. My friend’s mini-aussie helped me out and gave me a licking like I have never had. I was trying to get him to stop, but the more I giggled, the more he licked. I have yet to have sugar on snow—I know, a tragedy all unto itself—but sometime I will, maybe the next time we sugar. It won’t be this year, my life partner had a heart attack, and had some surgery done. He is doing fine, but, well, we don’t want to push it too soon. There is always next year, and, with any luck at all, we’ll be down in the new sugar house and boiling away! Spring is on its way and I can hardly wait for mud season to be here and gone. Summer chores are many, and I look forward to them, as they keep me busy and out of trouble. Well, I wish you all sunshine and happiness, you can never have too much of that! And if you are sugaring this year, I hope you get a great yield!

Laura Lee Saorsa Smith [email protected] mont’s English motto, “Freedom and Unity.” For additional information on any bill or actions in the House or Senate or standing committee, please visit www.leg.state.vt.us. These are live pages and are updated regularly. Please contact me directly with your questions and concerns. As always, it is an honor to represent our communities at the State House. [email protected] [email protected] PO Box 192 Danville, VT 05828 802.828.2228 (Statehouse) 802.684.3671 (Home)

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Cabot Community Association Update

By Debra Zimmerman, Coordinator

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS

Close to twenty people turned out for the March 25 Annual Membership Meeting of the Cabot Community Association (C.C.A.). A Board of Directors meeting was held immediately following the Annual Membership Meeting. Frank Kampf was elected to serve as the new President. Mr. Kampf replaces Bruce Wescott, who stepped down after having served as the President for one year. At the time of the meeting, Mr. Wescott was beginning a trip out of the country; in his absence he sent his regrets via a written message that included a warm welcome to the evening’s attending members. When asked why Mr. Wescott was not continuing as President, Mr. Kampf explained that the former President did not want the organization to become dependent on one person for ongoing leadership.

Other officers elected include Paul Wade as Vice President , Jan Westervelt re-elected as Treasurer, and Jeannie Johnson continues as Secretary. Another member of the new Board of Directors is Michelle Delaney. Ms. Delaney will take on “double duty,” as she represents both Cabot Connects and the Kingdom Warriors. The Arts Committee will be represented on the new Board of Directors by Elysha Welters. Todd Jones will represent the Cabot Chronicle, and Sjon Welters will represent the Agricultural Network Committee. The May Cabot Community Association Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 27, at 7:00 p.m..

AGRICULTURAL NETWORK

The Agricultural Network Committee is happy to report that a few new faces attended the March 21 Committee meeting and on that date a serious and excit- COMMITTEE ing conversation took place around connecting with the local school. Special guest Principal David Schilling attended the meeting and was very enthusiastic about the potential for the Agricultural Network and the school to work together. The Committee members did some brainstorming with the principal about school and community resources and ways to reach out to teachers, the school chef, and others who might be interested. Dialogue will begin around agriculture, gardening, growing healthy foods, and other collaborative school and community youth initiatives. Irene Harvey’s “Start Your Garden” is one program that is already underway. Mr. Schilling joined the newly-formed sub-committee that plans to explore the potential for collaboration. Mary Ann Tormey shared information about her hands-on experiences with projects she organized with the school in the past. Since the March 21 meeting, Ms. Tormey attended a session of the Central Vermont Food Systems Council. The next meeting of the Agricultural Network Committee will be held May 19 at 7:00 at the Willey Building in the Cabot Community Association/Chronicle Office. Connecting with the local school will be a major topic on the agenda.

CABOT COMMUNITY FUND

A Special Meeting of the Cabot Community Association (CCA) Board of Directors was held in April to begin developing the application process for the newly established Cabot Community Fund. The C.C.A. Board of Directors will establish a committee to work out details of eligibility and appropriate use of funds. The Committee will also decide the best method to publicize the Community Fund and the application process. Information will be available in The Cabot Chronicle or call the Cabot Community Association C.C.A.) number (802-563- 3338).

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Memorial Day is Monday, May 25

(continued from, page 1)

In 1968 a congressional law attempted to move Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October, but the original date of November 11 was kept because of its historic significance. Memorial Day and Veterans Day honor the sacrifices of innumerable individuals who sacrificed themselves to preserve the freedoms all Americans enjoy, with Memorial Day remembering those who gave their lives, and Veterans Day honoring all who served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Source-Courtesy of the U.S. Army Military District of Washington To learn about Memorial Day Services in our Capital go to: www.mdw.army.mil.

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CABOT COMMUNITY FUND Grant Decision-Makers Sought

Cabot Community Association seeks Cabot residents willing to volunteer for the newly-formed Cabot Community Fund committee to make decisions about grant requests. First award decision meeting is scheduled for June 10. Regular monthly meetings are anticipated, which may be cancelled if no funding requests are received. Please indicate your willingness to help by calling 563-3338 and leave a message with your contact information, or email [email protected]. Committee members will be selected May 27 at the regular Cabot Community Association Board meeting from the list of volunteers.

C.C.A. Board will handle applications until committee is formed and ready to meet.

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Free Memorial Day Window Flag Decal

The Memorial Day Foundation is giving away a free 5" x 8" Memorial Day Window Flag Decal to the first 300 people who email their name and address by filling in the form at http://www.memorialdayfoundation.org/. One decal per address. This Flag symbolizes the patriotic ideals of Memorial Day. The rifle with fixed bayonet pointing downward into the ground symbolizes a soldier who went down fighting, sacrificing their life for our country. The boots represent the final march of the last battle. The helmet and dog tags signify the fallen soldier.

Collectively, these form what is known as The Battlefield Cross: a symbol of a soldier who has perished on the battlefield. The flag as a backdrop symbolizes the Patriotism of our fallen heroes. This tradition originated during the Civil War when a musket was turned up side down and stuck into the ground to mark the spot where a comrade died, making it easier to find the body after the battle. Over time this image has been used in every conflict and has developed into more that a marker. It is erected to the fallen by their comrades in arms to show honor and respect for the brave souls who gave their lives in defense of their country. How to display this flag: The Memorial Day Window Flag Decal should be placed in your front window for the month of May and removed on the Tuesday after Memorial Day. The Memorial Day Foundation website also contains a map of the foreign burial of American War Dead and the National War Memorial Registry.

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Cabot Selectboard Update

An update from your Selectboard on some of the projects and issues being addressed at this time.

TOWN GARAGE: Work continues to complete the required documentation to meet the conditions of the Vermont Community Development Program $700,000 CDBG-Disaster Recovery Award. Karen and Jack hope to have this work completed by early May. The Selectboard solicited “pre-qualification” bids to construct the new facility, and the Town received seven responses to the bid offering. The Town Garage Working Group then reviewed the bids and recommend to the Selectboard that six companies be approved to bid on the Town Garage project. This was approved at the April 14 Selectboard meeting. The “construction bid” document was then issued to the preapproved bidders, and their bids are to be returned to the Town not later than mid-May, allowing time to complete the bid selection process in May. Following this schedule, work on the Town Garage should commence in June. We also continue to develop plans to demolish the existing town garage and restore that site to mitigate future flooding. Lastly, the access road at the new Town Garage site---bid out last Fall---should be completed in May once the snow is gone, as this work needs to be completed before work on the garage itself can begin.

GRADER AND EXCAVATOR: Road Commissioner Karen Deasy, Road Foreman Rusty Churchill and newly elected Selectboard member Bernie Shatney are obtaining quotes to purchase a new grader, excavator and trailer. Once bids have been received, this team will present their recommendations to the Selectboard.

LAND PURCHASE & PARKING:

The purchase of the Cookson property adjacent to the Willey Building was completed on March 25, 2015. Now, under the leadership of the Willey Building Committee, with input from the Conservation Committee and other interested parties, work will commence to create the parking plan for this new town property. Hopefully, this work can be completed by early Summer.

PROPOSED VTEL TOWN INSTAL- LATION PROJECT ON WHITTIER HILL:

Following a Public Hearing on April 8, 2015, pertaining to VTEL’s plan to install a communications town on Whittier Hill, the Selectboard, with the concurrence of the Planning Commission, voted to request Party Status and a Public Hearing from the Public Service Board on the VTEL application. The Selectboard, Planning Commission and interested Cabot residents will continue to actively address the VTEL Application, doing what we believe is best for the Town. We will keep everyone apprised of actions taken in this area.

SELECTBOARD MEETINGS: The Selectboard generally meets on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. on the second floor of the Willey Building. Everyone is welcome to attend Selectboard meetings. At the beginning of each meeting, following the approval of the Agenda and possibly one or two other administrative items, a PUBLIC COMMENT period is scheduled to allow anyone to speak on any non-Agenda item. While no action will be taken based upon material presented in the PUBLIC COMMENT period, the Selectboard does hope that interested parties will let us know of your concerns, priorities, and possibly projects that you believe your Selectboard should be made aware of. And, your Selectboard commits to listening closely to your comments and concerns and, whenever possible and practical, to quickly address them.

Thank you.

Sincerely, Ted Domey, Fred Ducharme, Jeff Gabrielson, Bernie Shatney & Jack Daniels

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ADVICE FROM THE TREE WARDEN

By Roland (Slim) Payne

This month, we will talk about invasives and three ways to get rid of some of them. Bush honeysuckle three ways: 1. Pull them; but if some of the root stays, it will grow again. So, you have to keep pulling it. 2. Mow or cut it, but then you have to keep cutting it, so, when it grows, it can't grow leaves and photosynthesize. You probably would have to cut them three times a year for two or three years. 3. Stump cut them and apply Round Up on the stump. Cut them about 2" to 3" above ground level and daub the stump with Round Up within one hour from cutting. One way to tell which ones you have treated, so you don't do them twice, is to put food coloring in the Round Up - it doesn't take a lot. Use any color you can see well - red, blue, green or whatever, because Round Up is kind of neutral, and within minutes, you won't be able to see it. This will get most of the invasive plants, but don't use on Oriental Bittersweet. On the other plants, use Round Up concentrate full strength. And do the stump treatment from mid-August until October. When you work with plants with berries on them, there is a good chance you can spread them, and the seeds are viable for a few years, so be careful. I like to pile them close to where I cut them, so, if I do spread some seeds, I have a small area to pull any new plants from seed. If you spray the foliage, go by instructions on the label exactly as written and be mindful of overspray. You cannot use herbicide on property of another person without a state license and permission of the owner. Good luck.

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June 13, 9:30 a.m.—1:00 p.m.

At 909 Bayley Hazen Road, Cabot Plains, VT Come join Susan Moegenburg, author and UVM Adjunct Professor, on a walk through the woods, as you search for and learn about nontimber forest products. Nontimber forest products will include both cultivated and wild edible and medicinal plants. Interested? Email Roland Payne, Jr., at [email protected] or call 802-318-5700 for more information on attending. Fee for workshop is not set at this time.

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23rd Annual National Association of Letter Carriers’ Food Drive

On Saturday, May 9, 2015, letter carriers across the U.S. will be collecting non-perishable food items to distribute to lo cal fo o d shelves. Most letter carriers and post offices in the Green Mountain United Way five counties of Caledonia, Essex, Orange, Orleans and Washington will be participating. Last year aphenomenal 32,000 pounds of food were donated by the people of these five counties with over 74 million pounds collected nationwide. Twenty of our local food shelves received this food helping them feed many families that are food insecure.

Do your part to HELP STAMP OUT HUNGER. Simply place your nonperishable food items in a bag at your mailbox on the morning of May 9th and your letter carrier will be happy to pick it up for distribution. If you do not have a letter carrier, just take your items to your post office and ask that they distribute them to the food pantry in your town. Please do not include any outdated items as government regulations do not allow food shelves to accept them. They will simply be thrown away. Thank you for your participation and for helping your neighbors.

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New Directions Showcase Gives Young Directors A Chance

By Lindsey Grutchfield Cabot Community Theater's New Directions Showcase was performed in late March at the Cabot School Performing Arts Center. As the name implies, the New Directions Showcase is designed to offer young, aspiring directors a chance to build their skills and gain experience. The show is a series of five one-act plays, which vary widely in both subject and execution. While the entire showcase is appropriate for families, the first half is geared specifically towards children, not only in the audience but on stage as well. Although the cast of the New Directions Showcase spans across all ages, the actors present in the first half are nearly all children, with a few minor exceptions. Opening the show is Beware the Jabberwock, written by Ron Nicol and directed by Maggie Palmiero, which plays like Lewis Carroll wrote The Wizard of Oz. Two young sisters get separated in the Tulgey Wood and must find their way back to each other, even as the characters of the famous poem "Jabberwocky" appear to have come to life. This is clearly a show for children, by children. The costumes are brightly colored, the story kid-centric, and the actors generally very young. The result is a little unpolished, but this is not too great a drawback, as the target audience members are youngsters as well. Moreover, mishaps are minimized by pairing more experienced actors with those with less experience, in what appears to be a conscious choice. The former help to guide the latter, and prevent too many uncomfortable moments. Leo Parlo and Lila Stratton, in particular, do an excellent job of this, staying in character and shepherding their charges. The next one-act matures a little in its subject matter while still remaining friendly and engaging for the younger set. It, written by James Haugland and directed by Clara Mueller-Harder, is very elegant in its simplicity and humor while also offering a profound thought or two. The play centers around a modern art piece, known only as "it," and the people who gaze upon it. We see a delightfully awkward boy and a girl who does not appear to reciprocate his feelings towards her, a college student babysitting a terrible child, a grandfather and his grandchildren, reminiscing about the past, and an elderly couple, living their lives. The quality of the acting in this short play is very good, perhaps because of how relatable the characters are, in an everyman kind of way. There are no particular standouts, but in this show that is no drawback, as it allows the characters to flow together without one stealing the stage over another. The third and final one-act of the first half is Big Nose, written by D.M. Larson and directed by Lori Augustyniak and Leo Parlo. This is a rather bizarre play centering around a self-styled theater critic with a rather large nose. One night, after critiquing a particularly terrible play particularly loudly, the critic finds himself on stage, causing general havoc. The New Directions Showcase's version of Big Nose seems like great fun to be in, if the enthusiasm of the actors is any indication. The show is a lighthearted comedy, played by people who are clearly reveling in the jokes, and the result is quite enjoyable. The second half of the New Directions Showcase is more adult based, featuring a greater number of older actors and more sophisticated source material. Starting things off is The Not- So-Private-Proposal, written by Stephanie Kelsh and directed by Megan Walker. This cheerful romp of a show centers around an exasperated couple, desperately trying to privately get engaged in a house full of swarming family members. The family members in question are conducting a seance and attempting to summon the ghost of Abigail Adams, an endeavor which does not exactly lend itself to peace and quiet. This production of The Not-So- Private-Proposal is characterized by both seamless directing and great acting. Adam Blachly and Maggie Palmiero are solidly good as the soon-to-be betrothed, but the real star of the show is acerbic younger sister Emily, played with aplomb by Abigail Walker, a hilariously grounding counterpart to the earnest young lovers. Also lending motherly gravitas and a touch of eccentricity is Lori Augustyniak as the seance-conducting Aunt Kate. The final one-act of the New Directions Showcase is the best. The Actor's Nightmare, written by Christopher Durang and directed by Adam Blachly, is the tale of an accountant mistaken for an actor's understudy and forced to perform a play in which he has absolutely no idea what is going on. This production of The Actor's Nightmare does a fantastic job of running smoothly while conveying the idea of a play in utter chaos. As things get progressively stranger, the cast functions as a tight unit, slinging the dryly humorous lines to perfection and great success. Blachly's directing also shines, creating a dynamic and energetic production. This show is a fabulous way to end the night and is well worth the wait.

Review reprinted by permission from BroadwayWorld.

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COMMUNITY COMMENTARY

Dear Editor, The Cabot Planning Commission must stop its attempt to permanently change the laws and governance system in this town. There have been too many concerns raised about the draft zoning regulation proposal, and it’s time to throw the document out. Qualified community members, including those with experience in surveying, engineering, and construction, have come before the Planning Commission for over a year now, expressing valid concerns. Even the members themselves have expressed concerns, and cannot answer the simplest questions about what would be legal and illegal under their own proposal. There is not one page in the document which has been uncontroversial. However, the Planning Commission marches on. Where does this zoning regulation document come from? This document was written by a paid consultant, who based it on the Town Plan. The Town Plan itself was written by another consultant, and was supposed to be based on the feedback received in surveys and meetings with townsfolk. However, if you read the responses from the survey and meeting, you’ll see that these documents are actually in direct opposition to what the people asked for! You can read the survey results on the Cabot Website, under the Planning Commission’s town plan section (survey and visioning meeting summary chapters) to see for yourself. Listen, our townsfolk are really smart, and they know what they need. They asked for: simpler zoning rules and less zoning regulation, lower taxes, lower expenses, ability to make a living here, services nearby (restaurants, retail, entertainment), access to waterways, and the ability to continue living here as long as possible. However, the documents our consultants have provided will only raise expenses, prevent people from making a living, restrict access to water, and try to force us out. The reason the town plan and the zoning regulation proposal have nothing to do with what the townsfolk want is because they were both pre-written. They are identical to the plans and zoning in towns across the country with similar soils. We are being compartmentalized, and most of us living here now don’t have the “capital and equity” that the newcomers want to attract. In short, we are being driven out. Why are we being driven out? Because we are not sustainable enough! Big brother knows what is best for our land. The very same people who made laws to allow the rich to get richer by polluting the planet are now writing these rules to blame us for the problem! Here’s the equation: Create a problem, sculpt the public reaction, and then offer your own, profitable solution! The only people who will be able to find their way through the proposed rules will be the very same developers we are supposedly concerned about in the first place. The end result has nothing to do with being “green.” In fact, my main problem with the proposed rules is that they will take away our right to build with natural materials, grow our own food, and do things for ourselves on a small budget. Those rights are the very reason most people live here, and I am very angry that these rights may be taken away from residents in the future. Building your own structures, with natural, local materials, takes a long time! Think of how long it took the original homesteaders to build the family home- sometimes a generation or more! Those are the structures that are still standing today, but would not have been possible (or may have to be torn down) under the proposed rule changes. These rules have nothing to do with sustainability, or with what people want. Nobody asked for all the houses in Cabot to look alike, or complained about the height of their neighbor’s fences. Nobody insisted that future development be bunched together, so every house is in sight of each other, or that there be less people in Cabot cluttering up the landscape. Nobody complained that the small businesses in town are unattractive, or that they are hiring too many people. Yet, these are the kinds of things the Planning Commission insists we need laws to enforce, and a ticket book for the Z.A. {Zoning Administrator} to penalize offenders. Imagine how valuable our land would be if, instead, we made Cabot a free town? We could become one of the last bastions of freedom, encouraging creativity in construction, leading the way in healthy homestead creation! We are always talking about wanting more families to move here, so let’s make it possible for them to do so. Affordable land, with common sense zoning rules that prospective buyers can understand, is what will make our town attractive. Let’s throw away this draft zoning proposal now, and the Town Plan next year when it comes up for renewal. Both of these documents have already wasted so much of our time and resources. The Planning Commissioners would be much more useful, and could actually help meet the needs expressed in the town plan survey, if they spent their 6 hours a month shoveling walkways and stacking wood for seniors instead of working on these agendas. There are no problems with how we are doing things in Cabot; under the current zoning rules, people are able to do things for themselves on their land. The current rules also limit development to 10% a year. Let’s keep the rules we have, maybe tweak them in one place or another so that people have more freedom, and then live and let our neighbors live.

Sincerely, Amy Hornblas

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FOOD SHARE AND FOOD DROP DATES

CABOT FOOD SHARE Wednesday,

MAY 6 Noon-2:00 p.m. Wednesday,

MAY 20 Noon-2:00 p.m. Cabot Masonic Hall 3339 Main Street FAITH IN ACTION NORTHERN COMMUNITIES PARTNERSHIP INC.

A Nonsectarian 501C3 ~ Available for Cabot Residents

MARSHFIELD FOOD DROP Second Saturday of every month.

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Destination Imagination Cabot Team to Represent VT at Global Finals

By Jane Youngbaer Our five Cabot teams had a great time at the Vermont Destination Imagination Tournament on March 28. All the teams were praised for their teamwork, as well as their artistic creations. Each team also participated in a secret Instant Challenge (not to be revealed until May 25), which became part of their score, along with their main challenge. Rising Stars in first and second grade presented their challenge, "Animal Mish-Mash," and invented a new animal called a giraffadolph in a story about friendship. This team included Chris Gile, Cheyenne Herdling, Ryan Kellett, Olivia Ramirez-Valcours, Ethan Searles, and Scarlett Wetmore, with team manager Darci Herdling. Rising Stars is a non-competitive, early learning level. A team of third graders, Neil Alexander, Riley Burak Dunham, Victoria Pike, and Tyler Donahue, with team manager Leonia Pike, presented their challenge solution for "Creature Feature." They got a third place trophy for their story that included a moveable underwater creature which they invented, along with colorful scenery. Another elementary team, Austin Deasy, Connor Lubas, Declan O'Connor, Adele Ramirez-Valcours, and Wyatt Searles, with Team Manager Jane Youngbaer, also got a third place trophy for "Feary Tales," in which they portrayed a character with a phobia (bananas), set in a Candy World, in the style of a fairy tale. Both teams that did the improvisational challenge, "Improv Games,"

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 8 onward.

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Summer Camps with the Cabot Recreational Committee

By Michelle Delaney This summer, the Cabot Recreational Committee will have soccer, lacrosse, mountain biking, basketball, and hip hop half day camps. The cost is $60 per week, $40 for the second child, and $30 for the third child in the same family, with a $130 cap per family. Scholarships are available and everyone is encouraged to participate. The morning camps will start with breakfast at 8:00 a.m. in the Cabot School Cafeteria and end with a lunch from 11:30 to 12:00 noon. Second half of the day camps will begin with lunch at noon in the cafeteria and end at 4:00 p.m., either in the school gym or the Cabot Town Recreational Field. Registrations for camps can be found at http://goo.gl/forms/8OxWxPa7aU. Return payments made to the town of Cabot to the Town Clerk's Office at P.O. Box 36, 3084 Main Street, Cabot, VT 05647. Please register for the camps four weeks prior to the camp so we can prepare properly. For questions, contact Michelle Delaney at [email protected].

June 22-26: Soccer Camp led by Michelle Delaney. The camp is from 8:00 a.m.-12:00 noon for ages 6 to 12, beginning and ending in the school cafeteria, and at the Cabot Recreational Field in between meals. Michelle has 25 years of soccer coaching experience and has played soccer for 33 years. She was All Conference at Johnson State College, a Soccer Scholar All American, and her JSC team was inducted into the JSC Hall of Fame. She founded and coaches for the Northeast Kingdom Warrior Soccer Club and coaches the Cabot varsity girls soccer team. She plays for the NEK Warriors women's team. June 22-26th: Mountain Bike Camp led by Mark Bromley, Kathleen Hoyne, and Jon Vara. The bike camp begins at noon and ends at 4:00 p.m., is for ages 10 to 16, and begins in the cafeteria and ends in the gym parking lot. Mark is the long time leader of the Cabot Roamers and has led countless bike trips. Kathleen has been the Coordinator of the Cabot Connects Mentoring program for nine years. She helped lead many Cabot Roamers bike trips, including a bike trip from Cabot to Maine, and worked for Bike Vermont as a trip leader for three summers. Jon is a recreational cyclist of long experience and a UBI-trained bike mechanic. He has led many bike tours for the Woodstock-based company Discovery Bicycle Tours, formerly Bike Vermont. The Cabot Roamers have some mountain bikes available for use.

June 29-July 3: Lacrosse with Aaron Fuller from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon for ages 10 to 16, beginning and ending in the Cabot School Cafeteria, and at the Cabot Recreational Field in between meals. Aaron has coached at MHS for two years and at the youth level for three years. He is a former Vermont All Star, who played at Johnson State. He currently plays with the club team Machine.

June 29 -July 3: Hip Hop Dance with Gala Morse from noon to 4:00 p.m. for ages 8 to 12, beginning in the Cabot School cafeteria and ending in the gym. Gala is a junior at Cabot High School with 13 years of dance experience.

July 13-17: Basketball with Mike Jarvis and Dave Creighton. 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon for ages 6-10, and noon to 4:00 p.m. is for ages 11-14. This camp will be in the Cabot School Gym with breakfast and lunch available in the cafeteria. Mike has 10 years of coaching experience in Barre Youth Basketball and AAU and Dave has 20 years of basketball coaching experience with everything from elementary to high school, AAU and All Star teams.

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School Board Update

By Chris Tormey, Cabot School Board Chair

PUBLIC FORUMS MAY 18 & 28

The Cabot School Board would like to invite all interested Cabot residents to attend two community forums in May. The purpose of the forums will be to gather input from community members on two potential plans for rebuilding the current elementary grades campus and gymnasium at Cabot School, and to gather input from community members on the merits of several potential models for Cabot School as a whole in the future. Although the need to renovate or rebuild the elementary classrooms is an immediate concern, the size required for that renovation is linked to the future size of our school. We hope to have a large number of community members join us for a discussion on the future of Cabot School, as well as discussion of two potential building plans at one or both of these forums. The Cabot School Board will convene these forums on the evenings of Monday, May 18, and Thursday, May 28, at the CSPAC. Residents will receive additional information on the renovation plans and future options for Cabot School by mail prior to the forum dates.

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Return of the Cabot Roamers!

By David Schilling, Cabot School Incoming Principal

After a several-year hiatus, the Cabot Roamers are regrouping to lead a youth bike trip from the Canadian border to the southern edge of Vermont. Bike enthusiasts Kathleen Hoyne, Jon Vara, Mark Bromley and Ed Lewis, along with incoming principal David Schilling, will be leading the trip during the first week of Cabot School’s June Term, departing on May 31. The group will follow a 200 mile route from the top to bottom of Vermont, sticking to quiet back roads and smaller byways. This route has been carefully selected for a scenic and challenging ride with a minimum of automobile and truck traffic. Riders will be supported by a vehicle carrying the bulk of our personal clothing, food and camping gear. The group will camp along the way, and looks forward to the adventure of traversing the length of the state under their own power! Along the way, students will be journaling, investigating Vermont history, and creating a photo essay of their travels.

June Term is an intensive learning experience for our students to get out into the world; to explore and discover. In past years, students have created an original radio drama and performed at the statehouse, taken Cabot’s band on tour, and participated in a national anti-genocide project in Washington, DC. The school is excited about an increased partnership with Cabot’s community members, and is very grateful to the Roamers organization for leading this opportunity! Student participants are: Ian Nally, Will Nally, Taylor Abbott, Toby Cooke, Caleb Maxfield, Jeremy Maxfield, Henry Burke, Isabella McCallum, Mark Schumacher, Frank Schumacher, Rowan Lanxner and Isaac Barnhart.

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By the Side of the Road”

Helen Morrison, Kingdom Animal Shelter

Several weeks ago, a father and his young son were driving along a road in St. Johnsbury, headed to do some shopping. By the side of the road, on a large snowbank, they saw a cat carrier, with the door open. The dad decided that, on the way back. they might pick up the carrier, as a friend of his had mentioned needing one. Coming back from shopping, the young son said, "Dad, aren't you going to stop and get the kitty?" He pulled over and, lying by the carrier, out cold, was a small tabby kitty. As they walked over to her, she came to and crawled into the carrier. They closed it up and brought it to the Shelter, where some volunteers were on duty. The volunteers took the kitty in. One of them asked the little boy what he would like to name the kitty, and he said, "Whiskers". And so, Whiskers it was. She had an injured leg, and had some sort of blow to the head. On examination by the vet, she seemed fine, no lasting, serious issues. She has very unusual and long eyelashes, which give her a king of glamorous quality. Whiskers is now at the Shelter, full of beans, running around, playing. Two families have put in adoption applications for her. It is so heartwarming to see a situation that began so badly turn out so well.

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Home of the Huskies 2014-2015 3rd Quarter Honor Roll

Cabot School is proud to recognize students for success in many areas. As has been our school’s tradition for many decades, an Honor Roll is published after each marking period and announced in several local newspapers, including the Cabot Chronicle, Times Argus, Caledonia Record, Hardwick Gazette and The World. This Honor Roll celebrates academic success, and we congratulate

students who have achieved recognition for excellence within the classroom.

High Honors—All grades are A or higher, First Honors—All grades are B or higher Honor Roll Criteria Second Honors—All Grades are B– or higher Tiger Bastress, Rebecca Blaisdell, Alisha Celley, Heidi Cookson, Clara Mueller-Harder, Jasmine Tetreault, Megan Walker Taylor Abbott, Isaac Barnhart, Kyle Celley, Virginia Foster, Jordan Hale, Matthew Lehoe, Madeline Morse, Gage Sironi, Emma Stecker, Lyrica Stelle, Clementine O’Connor, Abigail, Walker

Middle School

Gabriella Ambroz, Callahan Burke, Benjamin Carpenter, Brooke Fontaine, Isabel Maine-Torres, Liam Tobin,

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 9 onward.

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Second Honors

High School Hannah Barnhart, Lauren Bellavance, Zachary Coolbeth, Whitney Cosgrove, Shannon Harvey, Jeremy Maxfield, Isabella McCallum, Alexis McGary, Galadriel Morse,, Forrest Paquin, Dylan Wright

Middle School

Daniel Durgin, Mason Ecklund-Gustavson, Rider LaLomia. Matthew P. Lehoe, Tatianna Little, Robert Nally, Billie O’Connor

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FROM THE CABOT PUBLIC LIBRARY

Programs Tai Chi for Wellness - Tuesdays and

Thursdays - 10 sessions- May 5 - June 4 4:15 to 5:15 p.m. - Introductory tai chi: Class will include stretching and loosening and exercises to improve balance and posture. We will practice a brief standing meditation and learn some basic tai chi postures. Drop-ins are welcome since each class will be selfcontained and good for the person who wants to get an introduction to tai chi.

5:30 to 6:30 p.m. - Beginner tai chi: Participants will be taught the simplified form of Tai Chi consisting of a sequence of 16 postures, a form that is used worldwide. It will be best if students can attend most of the ten sessions and have the time and willingness to practice at home. Supplementary materials will be provided, including internet links and specific teaching videos. Tai chi practice uses gentle flowing movements that reduce stress and improve health. Both classes are suitable for adults who can walk and stand on their own. It is possible to attend both sessions. For further information about class content or to register [email protected] or 802-424-6088. Free to the public. Suggested donations of $5 class is welcome as well. It is requested that no outdoor shoes be worn on the wooden floors. Bare feet or clean indoor shoes are suitable. Wear loose fitting clothing.

Meditation Group – Tuesday, May 5

– 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Meeting on the first Tuesday of the month. Daria Babbitt has been teaching meditation for over 25 years and will introduce different meditation techniques designed to reduce stress. There will also be time for discussion about various healing techniques and inner spiritual growth. This workshop is open to all and donations are gratefully accepted.

Cabot Old Time Contra and Square Dance – Saturday, May 9 – 7:30 p.m.

This dance series occurs on the second Saturday of the month from September through May. All are invited. The caller for the evening is Luke Donforth. The dances are taught and are easily learned by young and old. The contra and square dances are traditional Vermont and New England social dances that have been danced for many generations in the town halls, barns, and kitchens around Vermont. The music is provided by piano and an assortment of fiddles, mandolins, guitars, and the occasional surprise instrument. Musicians are always invited to sit in and join with the fun of playing traditional dance tunes. There is a small suggested donation to help cover the cost of the caller. For more info, please call David Carpenter at 802-426-3225 or email [email protected].

Community Book Group – Wednesday, May 20 – 10:30 a.m. The theme for the spring session is “Portraits of the Artists: Novels about Painters.” What happens when the visual arts and the literary arts meet? How do fiction writers interpret the lives of famous painters and the canvases they leave behind? This month’s title is Portraits of an Artist by Mary F. Burns. All are welcome to join in! Copies of the book will be available in the Cabot Public Library.

Fiddle Lessons - Katie Trautz – Monday afternoons

All levels and abilities, Ages 4-100! Old time Irish, New England, Cajun and Swedish styles. For more info: [email protected] or 802-279-2236.

Lego Club – Tuesdays – 3:00-4:00 p.m.

All are welcome! We’ll have Legos for you to build creations with.

Pathfinder – Fridays - 3:00 - 5:30 p.m.

The Pathfinder roleplaying game puts you in the role of a brave adventurer fighting to survive in a world beset by magic and evil! Join the group - all are welcome.

Thank You!

Thanks so much to Amber Bothfeld for all her work on our very successful Spring Egg Hunt – over 40 children enjoyed the festivities. Thanks also to Isabella McCallum and Beth Wade for their help with the Egg Hunt and Story Hour. Many thanks to Michelle Delaney for the Fitness classes. Thanks to Daria Babbitt for leading the Meditation group. Thanks also to David Carpenter for the continuing Contra Dances, Cynthia Russell for facilitating the Community Book Group and Katie Trautz for fiddle lessons.

See you at the Library! Kathleen Hoyne

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TWIN VALLEY SENIOR CENTER

4583 U.S. Route 2 P.O. Box 152 East Montpelier, VT 05651 By Rita Copeland Twin Valley Senior Center is inviting all ages of residents to join us at a powerful workshop! Twin Valley Seniors wants to hear from you regarding a Personal Protection and Self Defense workshop that we will be offering in June on Saturday mornings, with time yet to be determined, depending on interest. It will be $40.00 for a 4 week course, one-hour sessions each. This 4-week course will give the “real -world" options for personal safety. The focus is on staying safe no matter the situation or location. The course includes: how to avoid potentially violent confrontations; how to identify safe havens; methods for de-escalating verbal aggressors; family safety at home; travel safety; and proven physical techniques to stop attacks. The instructor, Dr. Mark Kaufman, has 54 years of martial arts experience and has taught this constantly updated course for over 20 years to community groups across the country. All you need to bring is comfortable clothing and a smile on your face. Please contact us at 223-3322 if you would like to sign up for the class.

MAY MONTHLY TAKE-OUT OR EAT IN DINNER CHANGE

For over a year now, the TVSC has produced a monthly take out or eat in dinner. The dinners have always been on the last Sunday of the month. For the month of May, the dinner will be changed from the last Sunday to last Thursday night of the month, which is May 28, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. You will need to still call Susan for reservations at 223-6954, but we will also have available some meals for people heading past the Center to home. Please feel free to stop, pick up a takeout and have dinner all set when you arrive home!

Starting May 6 through May 27, Margot Lasher will be hosting writing classes on Wednesdays from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. at Twin Valley Senior Center. The charge for the four-week class is $25. Writers often do their most interesting work in cafes, because it sets aside a time when they can just focus on writing in the silent company of other writers. This class will give you that time to just write, saying whatever you want to say. You may want to start or finish a memoir, a short story or a play. You can focus on whatever form and content you want. After writing for a while, you can read aloud some of our work and talk about how to add details, how to make an image sharper, how to get to a deeper meaning in a conversation, and so on: the craft of writing. Please bring pen and paper, a journal, or a laptop to the first class. For questions or sign up, contact Margot at [email protected] or 249-9120.

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KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION

Parents of all children who will be five by August 31, 2015, and want to attend

Cabot School Kindergarten in September, 2015, must register their children during the week of May 4-8, 2015, at the Cabot School office. Please bring an

You may contact Linda Savoca at 563-2289 if you have questions.

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 10 onward.

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It’s Mud Season in the Mountains! GMC Asks Hikers to Avoid Muddy High Elevation Hiking Trails

The Green Mountain Club, maintainer and protector of Vermont’s Long Trail, released its annual message advocating responsible use of hiking trails from mid-April until Memorial Day weekend; warmer temperatures and a substantial winter snowpack have made Vermont’s hiking trails wet, muddy, and especially prone to erosion. Hikers walking on saturated soils or on the sides of trails cause irreversible erosion and damage surrounding vegetation of our beloved Green Mountains. The State of Vermont officially closes high elevation trails on state lands from April 15 through the Friday of Memorial Day Weekend. These lands include: Coolidge State Forest, Camel’s Hump State Park, Mansfield State Forest, Long Trail State Forest, Jay State Forest and all other state forest lands. Trails on the Green Mountain National Forest are not officially closed, but the USDA Forest Service asks hikers to avoid muddy higher elevation trails like the Long Trail until Memorial Day weekend. Not all trails on state lands are closed this spring – just the higher elevation trails on State Lands. Lower elevation state parks and forests have trails that are open. For details on what trails are open, folks should visit the VT Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation website for a complete listing of what is open and closed: http://fpr.vermont.gov/. “It’s been a long winter and everyone is itching to take a hike. If a trail is so muddy that you need to walk on the soil beside it, turn back and seek an alternative area to hike or an alternate outdoor activity like canoeing or biking,” recommends GMC Director of Trail Programs Dave Hardy. Dry trails at lower elevations, dirt roads, and recreation paths provide excellent opportunities for spring activities. “High elevation soils retain snow and ice longer, and they dry out later, so we ask folks to use their judgment since a trail may be ready for hiking at the trailhead, but will get softer and still have a snowpack as you climb higher,” says Hardy. The GMC thanks hikers for their cooperation in helping to preserve one of Vermont’s finest recreational resources, our hiking trails. For information on mud season hiking opportunities, please contact the Green Mountain Club (802) 244-7037; gmc@greenmoun tainclub.org. Established in 1910 to build the Long Trail, the Green Mountain Club is a private, nonprofit organization with over 9,000 members. The GMC is dedicated to maintaining, managing, and protecting Vermont’s historic Long Trail System and advocating for hiking opportunities in Vermont. Every year more than 800 volunteers work so that future generations may enjoy the 475-mile Long Trail System. Contact the Green Mountain Club to learn more about the GMC or to become a member.

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Danville Post Office Named for Thaddeus Stevens

The U.S. post office in the birthplace of Thaddeus Stevens was renamed on April 18 to honor the Civil War-era congressman’s pivotal role in the movement to abolish slavery. The Vermont native was a congressman from Pennsylvania and chairman of a powerful House committee during the Civil War when he steered the 13th Amendment to passage in 1865. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), U.S. Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and a representative from the office of U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) spoke during the ceremony. The Vermont delegation sponsored legislation creating this change, passed in October 2014. “Thaddeus Stevens was a man who fought for equality and social justice with considerable political skill,” the congressional delegation said in a joint statement. “Naming Danville’s Post Office after Stevens will help generations of Vermonters recognize the important legislative battles won in the halls of Congress in the Civil War era. Stevens’ leadership during this tumultuous time in our history was invaluable.” Stevens was born in Danville, attended Peacham Academy and was instrumental in assisting President Lincoln to pass a constitutional amendment to end slavery. Sanders introduced legislation in the Senate to honor Stevens by naming the post office after him. Leahy co-sponsored the measure. Welch steered the legislation through the House. Stevens, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, also is credited with shepherding the 14th and 15th Amendments through Congress guaranteeing the right to vote for all men and ensuring equal protection of the law for all citizens. The noon dedication at the Danville Town Hall included students from the Thaddeus Stevens School, located in Lyndon Center, representatives from the Danville Historical Society and the Gettysburg, Pennsylvania-based Thaddeus Stevens Society. A Post Office in Lancaster, PA, is also named in Stevens’ honor, in the state he served as Congressman.

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