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Cabot Historical Society

Preserving the history of Cabot, Vermont · Founded 1965

The Cabot Chronicle

May 2025 · 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 2025 pages (PDF)

Automated extraction, spot-checked. Advertisements, the business directory, and puzzles are omitted; obituaries appear as individual entries.

In This Issue

L EGISLATIVE R EPORT

We are nearing the end of the session and I’m writing to you the morning before the vote on H.454 will take place. Great changes are needed within our public education system to address the demographics, tax burden, and needs of our students and communities. I will vote no on the bill as it asks our kids, young families, and our communities to bear too much of the burden. The bill sets limits on class sizes and school sizes and provides no limit on sta ff size within the administrative o ffi ces (sta ffi ng in the superintendents o ffi ces, etc). Most of the opportunity to save money within our education system can be achieved by properly sizing the administration. Doing so would also minimize the sacrifices our communities, children, and families would potentially make. On other notes, I’ve had a great first year as legislator. It’s been an honor for me to introduce myself in committee as representative of our towns - Danville, Peacham, and Cabot. It seems like everyone I meet here holds our towns in a cherished place - as emblems of the core values of Vermont. I was placed on the Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry Committee. My normal attire would fit right in there, but I decided to purchase a suit and tie, as the last time I wore one was at my wedding. Our committee passed out H.401 unanimously a few weeks back that would raise the amount of baked goods and manufactured food that a home kitchen can make and sell to $30,000. I gladly reported this bill to the floor and later the bill passed out of the House. The hotel/motel program has drawn a lot of attention this session. I voted in favor of H.91 that would establish legitimate parameters for sheltering the homeless, working with the Department of Children and Families to make paths

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Cabot Community Theater

Cabot Community Theater brings the magical world of The Little Mermaid to life on stage this spring! An intergenerational (including cast your friends and neighbors!) will delight you with Disney’s musical stage version of the classic Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale with singing, dancing, and undersea sets and costumes.

DEADLINE: 15th of the month prior to production

Coordinator: Jeannie Johnson

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Cabot Chronicle Mission Statement:

for folks to find permanent housing and get back on their own feet. My hope is that I have the chance to repeal the A ff ordable Heat Act. That can only happen if the bill comes o ff the wall in the Energy Committee. I know firsthand the additional burden that this bill will put on farmers as well as ‘most everyone in our state. We cannot tax our most vulnerable and our working class any more. Thank you for the opportunity to serve. Be well. Greg Burtt State Representative Danville, Cabot, Peacham

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Little Mermaid

Ariel: Nora McCann, Sycada Barnes, Ellie Melen Eric: Mary Rogerson & Louise Swift Sebastian: Thomas Dunbar & Jesse Clayton Ursula: Luna Dunbar & Jessica Della Pepa King Triton: Seth Vandenburg Scuttle: Clare Waterman Flounder: Mavis Hall Chef Louis: Thomas Dunbar Grimsby: Erin Barry Pilot: Liam Waugh Flotsam & Jetsam: Amara Hansen & Judzia Bubrouski Windward & Leeward: Kate McIntyre & Fern Hammond

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Editor of Hardwick Gazette

First April published 9 in the Hardwick Gazette Twinfield Union School Senior Hazel O’Brien was selected as a finalist in Senator Bernie Sanders’ (I -VT) fifteenth annual State of the Union Essay Contest, Wednesday, March 19. His essay, selected from the 475 students at 25 Vermont high schools who submitted entries, evaluated ranked choice voting, demonstrated the public is in favor of it and suggested that momentum can be used to demand Congress take action. Sen. Sanders' annual contest gives Vermont high school students the opportunity to describe a major issue facing our country O’Brien Selected Finalist in Sanders Essay Contest and propose what they would do to solve it. O’Brien, who splits his time between Plainfield and Marshfield, said he knew about the contest last year, but was too busy to write an essay. He pulled this year’s entry together the weekend it was due, he said. O’Brien said he found out he had been selected while he was at a friend’s house. He finally listened to a voicemail message he’d received the day before, but hadn’t yet taken the time to listen to it. He called back to learn more and received an email with all the details soon afterward. A panel of nine Vermont educators served as volunteer judges, ranking the

Mersisters: Lila Christiansen-Pollica, Susannah Harman, Althaea Irwin, Iris Jacobs, Simone Kulsick, & Jojo Taylor Princesses: Luciana Abare-Rossi, Ariabella Clayton, Simone Kulsick, Cora McIntyre, Gwenyth Pare, Zelda Scrivenner Maids: Lily Dunbar, Alice Hannan, Iris Jacobs, Rue Jacobs, Addelyn Temple Sailors, Sea creatures, Seagulls, and Chefs: Alexander Clayton, Elfi Goldenrose, Enid Hammond, Ariella Helfand, Hanalee Hill, Penelope Otto, Ruthie Podolin, Nora Rader, & Moirah Usinowicz

The show will be performed May 8-10 at 7:00 p.m., and at 2:00 p.m. on May 1011, at the Cabot School Performing Arts Center, located behind the main school

monthly and is provided locally free

05647 ~ Published by the Cabot Community

express written permission from The Cabot Chronicle is contingent upon publisher’s approval and agreement claims based upon contents of advertising. Publisher does occupied by individual item in which the error appeared.

newspaper devoted to telling the

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Selected Finalist

essays and selecting 12 finalists and three winners. Since Sanders started the contest, over 6,600 students through-out Vermont, representing almost every high school in the state, have written essays about critically important issues, including climate change, access to mental health care, immigration reform, the housing crisis, political polarization, and the cost of higher education. “In difficult times, what makes me most hopeful is seeing young people engaged, thinking critically about the challenges we face as a country,” said Sanders. “Thank you to all the students participated in this year’s contest. I look forward to hearing from the finalists and discussing their ideas about how to move forward on some very important issues.” Sanders hosted the finalists at the Vermont State House, March 29, for a roundtable discussion about their essays. O’Brien attended the 90-minute gathering where each finalist gave a quick summary of their essay, after which other finalists and Sen. Sanders shared their thoughts about it, said O’Brien. The subjects covered a wide range of issues that included healthcare, obesity and election reform, said O’Brien. It was “pretty interesting to see because he [Sanders] was really on top of his stuff.” “Overall, I didn’t expect to be selected as a finalist. It’s a valuable opportunity because I hope to be involved in politics in some way,” said O’Brien, adding he would like to work in government and maybe run for office some day. He said he’d found interacting with Sen. Sanders “very enriching.” Sanders has entered the finalists’ essays into the Congressional Record, the official archive of the U.S. Congress. The contest is timed to coincide with the President’s annual (see, ‘Twinfield’s O’Brien’, page 3)

building at 25 Common Road, in Cabot. In keeping with our mission to provide affordable live theater to the community, admission remains at the low price of $10 for everyone, with a $5 discounted option for anyone who needs it (cash, check, or Venmo at the door). CCT shows usually sell out, so reservations are strongly encouraged: https:// tinyurl.com/cctmermaid. Seating is not reserved, unless you need special accommodations, which you can request on the reservation form!

of charge.

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Hazel O'Brien Essay (Twinfield Union

On November 5th, 2024, California held of their state in the U.S. House of Representatives. congressional districts pledged their ballots, Democratic Party won 60% of the popular Despite this result, the seat share of the Californian to 9 Republicans, approximately 83% to 17%. action, a process that left 6,000,000 Californian sented. Most elections in the U.S. use a plurality larization as the party duopoly becomes tactic to prevent spillage of voters between embedded in contemporary American democracy, For one, we can look to the proportional systems ment abroad. A great example of a proportional member districts. This method takes the tially lowers the threshold of popularity a by increasing the number of seats held in of the entire voting public can be achieved Multi-member districts were once permitted use by segregationists in response to the Voting 1967 under the Uniform Congressional District of eradicating bloc voting, a system that minority representation. It unfortunately legal means to host elections for the House plurality system. The solution here is relatively by which laws are passed mirrors very closely With a simple bill intended to counteract possible. if that bill included clauses detailing tionality and representation, such as specifically voting, then we could see significant changes member districts. Many in Congress will likely be resistant is directly tied to their positions of power. However, necessary to make progress. Maine passed choice voting on the federal level, via citizen passed a similar measure through referendum. something the voting public considers a priority

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Term on WEC Board

Candidate statements were published in the February-March Washington Electric Cooperative Co-Op Currents, and policy statements are published in the April/May Co-Op Currents, both of which can be found at wec.coop/annual-meeting. This year's ballot packet must be completed and mailed to beat the voting deadline of April 30 @ 1:00 p.m. to the Barre Post Office. Mailed ballots must be received at the Barre Post Office no later than 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 30, in order to be counted. Please allow 3-4 days for in-state delivery and 6-8 days for out-of-state delivery. Ballots mailed to or dropped off at the Co-op will not be

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SERVICE

elections to determine the representation Fifteen million voters across 52 and when the results became clear, the vote while the Republican Party won 40%. delegation will be 43 Democrats This is the plurality voting system in Republican voters grossly underrepre-

voting system, which drives political poentrenched, and demonization becomes a the parties. Though this system is deeply there are paths to improvement. that successful democracies impleelection system is the use of multiidea of a congressional district and essenparty must receive to earn representation the district; this way an accurate reflection as opposed to just the plurality opinion. in the U.S., but due to threats of misRights Act of 1965, it was banned in

utilizes multi-member districts to neglect also set single-member districts as the only

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2010 BAYLEY HAZEN ROAD

of Representatives, a major cause of our uncomplicated on its face, the process the way in which they are repealed. EAST HARDWICK VT 05836 and nullify the UCDA, a breakthrough is how to mandate standards of proporbanning abusive practices like bloc with the successful installment of multi-

to the idea of an alteration considering it What Is Dig Safe? we can already see the movement Measure 5, an act to establish ranked Whether you plan to install initiative in 2016. Alaska in 2020 also a swimming pool, basketball This demonstrates electoral reform is hoop, mailbox, or a fence on and by harvesting this momentum your own property, no digging project is too small to notify Dig

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ec

Dig Safe is a notification center, serving as a link between you and our The Annual Meeting is May 1 4:30 participating member utility companies. We are a private, not-for-profit orp.m. at the Barre Auditorium. Mike Kline, Reader of Rivers, retired State Rivers Program Manager from Middlesex, is Annual Meeting Featured Speaker. Susan’s bio and additional information is available at https://www.washingtonel ectric.coop/annual-meeting/. In addition, she provided this message in April for Cabot residents: “In my position on the Board of Directors for the Washington Electric Coop (WEC) I experience the energy world as complex, political, and constantly changing. As a customer of WEC, I simply want low cost, reliable and renewable energy. Balancing the relationship between these two roles is what I consider the most important aspect of representing all member owners. I would greatly appreciate your support in my candidacy for a second term. It has been a very busy, yet rewarding, 3 years and I am eager to continue to serve in this capacity havganization that collects information about your upcoming excavation project, then notifies the appropriate member utilities in the area of excavation. The utilities respond to mark the location of their lines, or they use contract locating companies to mark their lines. This is a free service for anyone to use. Note: Dig Safe is a notification center and does not mark lines.

ing developed a considerable under- three Vermont electric utilities to do standing of the regulations, the infra- so. We are now poised to examine structure, and the operations of our how best to optimize resources, relautility during my first term. This in- tionships, and personnel for best poscludes not just WEC but both state- sible performance and cost. I look wide and regional forces that influ- forward to a second term to engage ence our policies, contracts, forecasts, our members in the 41 towns that and financial decisions. comprise our service area in this everThe forward trajectory of responsi- evolving conversation ble energy transformation in Vermont Ballots for the WEC Director election is somewhat uncertain given recent will be arriving in the mail soon; be legislative efforts to combine renew- sure to send it back or bring it to the ability with affordability and yet the Annual Meeting at the Barre Auditodesire for achieving both remains ex- rium on May 1. As always, I welcome ceptionally high. WEC led the state your thoughts and concerns at mul-

our members, the first and one of only Thank you.”

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Jan R. Westervelt

Jan Robert Westervelt February 28, 1944-April 16, 2025 Longtime resident of Cabot, Jan Westervelt, passed away at his home on Wednesday, April 16. Jan was born in South Orange, NJ, to John Robert and Doris Fischer Westervelt. He came to New England to attend Dartmouth College (Class of 1966), after which he spent the rest of his life in Vermont, barring his time at graduate school at the University of North Carolina. Settling in Cabot in 1972 with his wife Janet, the couple had all four of their children there.

Chronic Disease Management Who can participate? This workshop is right for anyone living with a long-term (or “chronic”) health problem— like arthritis, diabetes, cancer, or heart disease— and their caregivers. About half of all American adults have at least 1 chronic health problem. Many have 2 or more. The next workshop starts on May 8th, 2025. Learn more and register by clicking here: https://www.myhealthyvt.org/ workshop_dates/online-chronic diseasemanagement-2/. Jan had a long and varied career, working for the state of Vermont on health care before becoming a CPA and starting his own firm. He applied these skills to private business, local school districts and finally back to the state of Vermont before retiring. A dedicated member of the Cabot community, he served two terms on the school board, coached elementary school soccer and served as Town Meeting Moderator. He cared deeply about the town and helped with efforts to restore the church and its clock and to revitalize the village. He is survived by his wife, Janet, and four children, Ted, Mary, David and Anna, along with their partners and eight grandchildren.

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What does this workshop offer?

Long-term health problems can lead to serious complications that can make it hard for you to work, take care of yourself, and enjoy your life. Healthy lifestyle changes can help you better manage your chronic illness, and they can also lower your risk of serious health events down the road, like heart attack, stroke, breathing problems, memory loss, and falls. There’s a lot you can do to prevent these complications. In this program you will learn: •  How to solve problems and create action plans  Information on nutrition and physical activity  How to be an active partner in working with your doctor and other care providers  How to manage your medications to get better results and stay safe  How to work through the emotional challenges that can come with living with a chronic condition

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Jennie Gilbert—May 3

A graveside service will be held on May 3 at 11 am at the Danville Green Cemetery in Danville, VT and followed by a celebration of life at Silver Fox Farm & Gardens in West Danville, VT. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Jennie's memory may be made to Silver Fox Farm &

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Erma Perry—May 7

A Memorial Service for Erma Mae Perry, who passed away on March 11, 2025, will be held at 2:00 pm on May 7, 2025, at the United Church of Cabot. A fellowship gathering will follow at the Willey Building. In lieu of flowers contributions in her memory may be made to the United Church of Cabot, 2 Common Way, Cabot, Vermont 05647. The full obituary may be viewed at dgfunerals.com.

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Trails for All Seasons

by Gary Gulka

If you are looking for a new place to hike, bike, paddle, ski, or ride, then check out the Trail Finder website – a comprehensive and growing database of four-season non-motorized trails in Vermont and New Hampshire. The website is Trailfinder.info, and it is a wellorganized, easy-to-use website – just click on Start Exploring and it brings you to a regional map of trails and trail networks. Hundreds of trails are listed. Trail descriptions, maps, photos, direc-

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Brien Ducharme—May 17

A funeral and celebration of life for Brien Ducharme, Jr., who passed away peacefully on February 11, 2025, will be held 10:00 am on May 17, 2025, at Christ Covenant Church, 167 Creamery Street, Marshfield, VT. The burial will follow at Durant Cemetery in Lower Cabot.

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Dennis Greaves, Sr.—May 23

A spring interment for John Dennis Greaves Sr., who passed on November 26, 2024, will be held at the Walden Heights Cemetery on Friday, May 23, 2025, at 1 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Shriners Hospitals for Children at https://donate.lovetothe rescue.org/ or The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) at https://help.dav.org/. The full obituary may be viewed at dgfunerals.com.

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in Our Region

tions, uses and restrictions are all provided. The trail information is provided only by trail managers that have permissions to add or modify content – not like many trail apps that are open source and can contain erroneous and inaccurate information. With a free Trail Finder account, keep track of all the trails you have completed, tag favorites, create a wish list of those you want to do, and save trail logs to remember each adventure. Cabot Trails is in the process of adding all our trails to Trail Finder. Check it out!

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Highway Department

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer Sid Griggs, the highway foreman, was present at the April 1 Selectboard meeting to update the board on the status of the Highway Department. Sid told the board that Tom, the new employee, had left to work another job. He said he had interviewed someone the previous week and was waiting to hear back from them. Sid said they have Dave on the crew during the winter and he leaves the following week. Dave works for Pike Industries during the summer, and gets laid off every fall. Sid expressed he was hoping he wouldn’t be by himself very long. He added that Aldo was probably not coming back until June. Sid then told the board that he thinks the new truck is being assembled now, and hopes it will be delivered by August. He added that the blue truck broke again, and the hydraulic pump needed to be replaced. Mike Hogan said that is why they need to sell that truck, and Sid added that the blue truck has nickel and dimed the Town all winter. The discussion then focused on how to manage trucks going forward. Sid spoke about talking to a friend that is a road foreman in another town that has nine trucks. He relayed that they are taking the trucks that give them the least trouble and refurbishing them. Sid said there are a couple of guys in New Hampshire that strip the frame and sand blast it. They also replace the hydraulic lines. He mentioned he needed to talk to them some more because the other town is saying they are getting another five to seven years on their trucks. Sid said that was all they are getting out of the new trucks now. Fred Ducharme asked how long the road crew would be without one of the trucks. Sid said the process of refurbishing takes about six months, so it would just be the summer. Sid then talked about the ongoing projects. He reviewed the three FEMA

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Investment of Sinking

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer During the budget meeting held by the Selectboard last year, R.D. Eno asked why the sinking funds were in some sort of savings account. He said that since the sinking funds are carried in the fund balance, it was mixed with other monies. This made it hard to clearly see what amounts were dedicated to what purpose. The subject wasn’t discussed again until the March 18 meeting. Amy Monahan, the Town Treasurer, spoke to the board about her attendance of a webinar about investment strategies, and said that started her thinking about where the Town’s money is located and what should happen to it. She then CCA promotes their mission to enhance the quality of community life for those residing, doing business, and visiting is to empower Cabot residents to participate in the governance and management of our town. writer to cover selectboard and other meetings, for the purpose of keeping community members informed about issues be able to attend. Most meetings are available via Zoom for those who would like to listen in person. Instructions for

available on the Town website, CabotVT.US by clicking on "Selectboard Meetings.

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Issues

projects that are planned for this year. He added that the contractor is looking to start on Menard Road by May 15, then move on to Mack Mountain Road. Sid thinks they might be done by early July. He then told the board that he has 13 culverts that need to be replaced this year. Sid then talked about the paving projects. He explained that he talked to Pike Industries and Hutchens Industries regarding Old Route 2. Sid said he heard back from Pike Industries and they can grind the road down and lay the material back down. He added that he also wants to lower the Lovely Road intersection. Then they can put a base coat down, for a cost of $359,000. Sid said that if they just grind the road, then it would cost $42,000. He explained that if they did that, then they can take their time and dig it down and then put the base coat on it, and wait some time before putting down the top coat. Sid felt that due to the amount of traffic the road sees, the base coat would last a long time. The board and Sid then discussed Route 215, and Sid said the part from Walden to the village is starting to show its age. He mentioned that he and Amy Monahan are filling out a grant application for paving it, because the state does the grant process in the spring. He explained that the state’s timeline is backwards, because they should be contracting in the spring, and applying for grants in the fall. Mike asked about Route 215 South. Sid answered that they did it in the past, and are still paying off the bond. He explained that the road needs to be dug down. Mike suggested they should give the road back to the state. Sid agreed, and proposed that they could still do winter maintenance if the state would do the paving. Fred added that the road was never built to handle all the tractor trailer traffic, and repaving it is like putting frosting on a sponge cake.

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Funds

talked about three sinking funds the Town maintains. The first sinking fund she talked about was the Highway Department sinking fund. Amy said that it has been kept in a Certificate of Deposit (CD). She explained that when the CD matures, she adds the $10,000 from the current year’s budget and reinvests it into another one year CD. Amy then talked about the reappraisal sinking fund. She said there was about $60,000 in the fund and it is currently making under 1% of interest. Amy told the board that they need to do something with that money, perhaps invest it in a CD for 12 months at a time. Lastly, Amy talked about the water overage account which contains about $75,000. She said she didn’t know the history of the account, but also proposed looking at investing it in a 12 month CD. Mike Hogan proposed it could be a money market account too. Mike explained that the reserve funds exist to reduce the impact of capital expenditures. He said they are part of the fund balance at the end of the year. He added that the board set a budget and collects taxes. After all expenditures for the year, if there is extra money not spent, it goes into the fund balance. He added that they are looking to get some value back on the money which is just sitting there. No decision was made at that meeting, and Amy said she would look at the current deal. Amy returned to the board at the April 1 meeting to follow-up on the discussion. At this meeting, she said the board needs to make some decisions. Amy pointed out to the board that the reappraisal sinking fund will not be used for four years. She recommended investing the fund in a 12 month CD, which would be around 4% interest. She then talked about the $75,000 in the water overage account, noting that the water general account contains $25,000. Amy pointed out that the water department expenses are very low each month, and suggested they could invest around $90,000. She added that a five month CD would gain 4.25% interest. Amy noted to the board that she would speak to the auditors before she put any money into a CD. Amy then told the board that the Highway Department sinking fund CD would mature in May. She said that she would be adding $20,000 to the fund, because last year the $10,000 allocated for the fund was not added. Amy said that would bring the fund up to $60,000. She also talked about starting the sinking fund for the fire department, but noted the amount of seed money would be small. She suggested she would also use a 12 month rolling CD investment for that fund too. The board approved a motion to give the Town Treasurer the authority to find the best rates and invest the funds in CDs.

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School Nurse Contract

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

The School Board held its first meeting after town meeting on March 24. At this meeting, the board was reorganized and the newest member joined the board, Melissa Pratt. Melissa won the open seat vacated by Erica Fucello. The board elected its officers as follows: Chair - Chris Tormey, Vice-chair Ellen Cairns, and Clerk Melissa Pratt. A significant amount of the meeting was consumed with a litany of approvals done every year when the board reorganizes, such as meeting schedules and committee assignments. During the approval of the agenda, the principal, Jennifer Blake, asked to include an item regarding the school nurse, and the health center attached to the school. The board discussed this topic at the end of the meeting. Jennifer told the board that the Plainfield Health Center wants to terminate the agreement to provide a nurse for the school and use of the health center area of the school. Matt Foster, Superintendent, added that the health center is having a hard time staffing the school nurse position, and the administration is going to have to find a way to staff a

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School Continuous Improvement

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

The new School Board (see article titled School Nurse Contract Ending) was presented with the current status of the Continuous Improvement Plan. Des Hurts, the CCSU Curriculum & Instruction Director, started her presentation to the board by reminding them that the plan was drafted last year. She said that using data from the previous school year, the plan is submitted to the state for approval. She added that the results are used in part to inform decisions the administration makes. Des then shared the goals that were created last year. She said the process will be changing next year, with the state shifting the plan level from the supervisory union (SU) to the individual school districts. Des also stated that the goals were written to target the end of the 2026 school year, but they will end with this school year. She added that for the next school year, the goals will be written at the school level. Des noted that the strategic plan will remain at the SU level, and school level goals will align with the SU wide goals. She then told the board that they have two academic testing windows to form the data, the fall and winter testing. Des then displayed a chart showing the Reading test results moving from red to green. She also showed a chart for the Math test results, which looked similar. Ellen Cairns mentioned that is what she would expect to see, since the fall testing occurs after the summer and you would expect it to be lower. Alicia Heber asked how Cabot’s results com-

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Ending

school nurse. Jennifer reminded the board that the budget does not include enough money for a school nurse. Matt told the board that the $68,000 budgeted for the contract with the Plainfield Health Center to provide a nurse will be available, but a direct school nurse contract will likely be over $100,000. Chris asked about the timing of the position change. Matt responded that the new position will be posted as starting on July 1, the beginning of the fiscal year. Chris asked for more background on the issue and Matt said they could only discuss more in executive session. Ellen reminded everyone that they didn’t warn an executive session, so that was not an option. Matt speculated that the community once used the local health center, but since COVID the amount of usage has dropped significantly. He also estimated that they would probably require another $60,000 to staff the position. Ellen asked if other schools have a full time nurse, and Matt said it would be difficult to staff a part-time position. He added that they should post the position as early as possible.

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Plan

pared to the other schools in the SU. Des said she could show an aggregate chart for the entire SU. Then she said that the results are at, or just below, the national average for 4th and 8th graders. Des then moved onto a growth chart, showing a two year span. Chris Tormey

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Happy Spring!

commented that the chart shows there is growth, but there is a long way to proficiency. Matt pointed out that when you have students that need additional help, they can have significant growth, but still not reach proficiency. Des then reported to the board that there has been a decrease in student reported major behaviors. She showed a chart with most of the incidents occurring near the beginning of the school year. She added that there is now more consistency on how incidents are reported. Jennifer Blake mentioned that she thinks the increase at the beginning of the year was a reset for everyone. She added that students are now more engaged and enjoying being in the classroom, which has led to the decrease. Jennifer also said the whole climate feels good for the teachers, families, and students. The next chart Des shared was for attendance, and she said they are looking more carefully at their rates of chronic absenteeism. She added that they are also looking at how the data is collected and if the data is accurate. Ellen noted that they don’t want kids coming to school sick, and Des responded that is why they want to drill down on the data. Des said they need to work on how attendance is monitored. Cabot Mentoring Matches are looking forward to Spring weather to get outside and ride bikes, go fishing, garden, chop wood and so much more! And then summer is right around the corner when we’ll be swimming, hiking, boating and enjoying sharing a good book or a game in the shade. Gotta love all the seasons here in Vermont! The Mentoring program is steadily growing from three mentor matches last July to eight at this date with more in the pipeline. At present we have a waiting list of Cabot kids ages 7-19 who would like to have an adult mentor to hang out with a couple of times a month and do some of these fun activities together. If you are curious and have questions about what it might look like to be a volunteer youth mentor, please contact me for information at: Mark Christensen cabotmentoring@gmail.com

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Cabot School Community

On the morning of Thursday, April 10, 2025, Cabot staff joined teachers at schools around the state to rally in support of public schools. The “walk-in,” a before-school gathering, was focused on communicating the message that public schools are community centers where every single student is welcomed and the educational needs of all students are met. The state-wide effort was organized in coordination with VT National Educators Association, VT School Workers United, and the Education Justice Coalition of VT, with the overarching message of “Hands Off Our Schools.” We need state and federal education leaders to remember that our local schools are central to our communities, including in Cabot. Right now, decisions are being made at the state and federal level that will drastically change the present and future functioning of our small schools without clear evidence to suggest benefits to our students or the taxpayers.

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Speaks Up

Governor Scott and Secretary Saunders have put forward a plan to consolidate our schools and districts under the guise of saving money, however there is no data that directly supports this as a cost-saving measure. We believe the governor and legislature should work to reform our unnecessarily complicated and regressive educational funding formula and work to rein in soaring healthcare costs before closing schools. Mandates around classroom and school size do not adequately address the financial burden of school taxes on the working people of Vermont. Restructuring our school system with inevitable school closures will disproportionately impact our small rural schools, like Cabot School. We need equitable taxation, where people at every income level pay their fair share rather than a complete overhaul of our educational communities. Small schools are vital to our way of life in this brave little state.

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Lamoille Valley and Central Vermont

licensed child care center, the Cabot Children’s Center. This center created 15 new child care spots and four new jobs. “We also have two high school students working with us,” Smires said. “Our student volunteers are gaining valuable skills, experience, and a sense of responsibility that encompasses the meaning and passion of high-quality care in the early childhood education field.” According to Augustyniak, she and her CCA colleagues asked themselves, “What kinds of things can the CCA take off [Smires’] plate as an operator so she can focus on providing services?” This

Advertising in

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Center in Cabot

led the CCA to take care of the practical issues, including negotiating a lease with the Cabot Church, purchasing all necessary equipment, writing grants, and fundraising. A grant from BBF’s Vermont Early Childhood Fund (VECF) in fall 2023 was part of the funding that has made the new center a success. The support from the community association allowed Smires and her staff to focus all their attention on serving Cabot’s children and families. “Working with CCA has been huge,” Smires said. “We have monthly meetings, and they are very willing to help in any way they can. The team effort and the collaboration is just amazing.” The new center has now been operating for a year. “It has been very wellreceived by the community,” Augustyniak said, “and we’re already looking at the need to expand.” Smires added, “We are looking for a bigger space because we are full and have a waiting list.” They also hope to add afterschool programs for older children. As is the case across Vermont’s early childhood education and care system, hiring and retention have been the biggest challenges the Cabot Children’s Center has faced. To help address the problem, Augustyniak said, “We talked about how Heather and the CCA can work together to create a workplace where people want to be and show up.” “Consistency is one benefit of a nonprofit owning the equipment and renting the space, making it that much easier for the center to succeed,” Augustyniak said. “I think it’s a really good model to look at across the state.”

Its a great way to reach up to 1900 households in Cabot, Marshfield, Plainfield, Hardwick, & Danville! Spread the word about your product or service while helping to support a great community resource. at

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Yard and Supporting Pollinators

After a long winter, mud season will soon pass, and the first signs of spring are beginning to appear. Flowers have started emerging in sunny spots, and before we know it, trees will be bursting with fresh green leaves. But before that happens, take a moment to inspect the trees in your yard for any damage caused by winter storms and high winds. If a tree has suffered considerable structural damage, consider removing it to prevent the risk of it falling on a person, vehicle, or structure. For many homeowners, spring is synonymous with landscaping and garden planting—tasks that are well worth the effort, especially when flowers bloom and fresh vegetables become abundant later in the season. As you plan your garden, please remember to support pollinators. Pollinators are struggling and are essential for the ecosystem to function properly. Without pollination, the cycle of life in plants would not oc-

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Cabot Fire Department

The town of Cabot has a local ordinance about key boxes/knox boxes. With so many new internet-based systems being affordable, more homes require a key box per our town ordinance. The ordinance reads: "All properties within the town and/or village of cabot having an automatic fire alarm system or sprinkler system shall be equipped with an approved key box." If a system dials out for emergency

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Sugaring at Ackermanns’

by Caitlin Celley Ackermann As sugarmakers, we crave a long, drawn out spring. One with weeks of cold nights and warm days, where the puddles are frozen in the mornings as the sun peaks out from behind the clouds. As the weeks go on, we scan the tree tops for red buds, and we say "we ain't quittin' till we hear peepers" (though depending on the weather, sometimes we have no choice). The house chores fall by the wayside, and we hope the kids' teachers don't mind when they show up to school with mud on their pants. Friends and family bring us meals to get us through, and it's the one time of year we have returnables from all of the people hanging out and leaving cans and bottles on the shelves. I've always thought of sugaring season as similar to having a baby. The nights are long, you're exhausted, but at the same time you're happy and thankful. We prep meals for the freezer so that's one less thing to worry about when the sap is running harder than you can process it. We boil and boil, standing at our evaporator all day and night. Feeding the fire, feeding the sap, sometimes feeding ourselves. On the cold days when there's no sap to boil, we make donuts to dip in hot syrup, passing the time with

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T REE W ARDEN

cur. Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds all rely on a steady pollen and nectar supply throughout the summer. When choosing plants, try to incorporate varieties that bloom at various times, so pollinators have continuous access to food. If you plan to maintain a hummingbird feeder, it is essential to commit to a strict schedule of cleaning and refilling it with fresh nectar. Proper sanitation is crucial for hummingbird health, as neglected feeders can harbor harmful bacteria that may make them sick or even prove fatal. It is advisable to clean hummingbird feeders and replace the nectar every four to five days. In periods of hot weather, it may be necessary to do so more frequently. clean, wellmaintained feeder encourages healthy hummingbirds while offering the joy of watching these incredible aerial acrobats’ flit and hover as they take turns feeding. Spring is fleeting but full of inspiration—watching the world burst into life again is truly a delight. Enjoy every moment!

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Notice

services when a smoke alarm or co detector goes off, a key box is needed. If a home simply has a burglar alarm that is not hooked up to a smoke alarm/co, then a key box is not needed. If someone requires a key box, they can make a request via the Cabot Fire Department website: cabotfiredept.com (scroll down to the bottom of the main page and complete the "contact us" section).

the most delicious flavor on earth (we know, we're biased!). Toward the end of the season we put our alarms on the other side of the room, so we don't accidentally turn them off in an overtired stupor, and occasionally fall asleep standing up. We haul truckloads of slightly sweet sap from other locations, and prepare it to be boiled down to the sweet syrup Vermont is known for. When those too warm days, peepers, and buds finally do come, we breathe a deep sigh of relief, which is sometimes accompanied by sorrow, depending on what Mother Nature chose to give us. No matter the outcome there's always more work to do, so we allow ourselves to sit for a minute, take a deep breath, pull ourselves back up by our bootstraps, and get back to it again.

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Contra Dance May

by Karen Mueller-Harder On Friday, May 9, come kick your heels up at the Cabot Community Contra Dance, featuring the delightful calling of Erin Smith! The dance takes place in the Willey Building (Cabot Town Hall, 3084 Main Street), from 7-9:30 pm. Live music is provided by a great group of local musicians who are simply amazing! Bring a friend, or come alone, to enjoy a great sense of community and reconnecting with others after a winter of hibernation! All ages and abilities are

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Flood Resiliency Task

by Gary Gulka The Flood Resiliency Task Force has been involved with grant applications during the last few months. We submitted a Community Development Block grant application to develop a Flood Resilience Master Plan. This study, if funded, would engage an engineering consultant to model stream flows in storm events along the mainstem of the Winooski and major tributaries, like Jug Brook, to look at areas vulnerable to flooding and further damaging municipal infrastructure like bridges and culverts. The focus of the study would be on finding ways to reconnect floodplains, re-establish riparian vegetated buffers, and other natural methods to slow and divert stormwater, as we look beyond village flood mitigation projects to other areas in town. We have been working on a major FEMA Hazard Mitigation Program grant application that would fund replacement of the double culverts with a bridge over Main Street on the south tributary and replacement of the north tributary bridge on Main Street with a larger, elevated bridge and a flood

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May 3 and May 18, All

by Gary Gulka Join the Cabot Conservation Committee and Consulting Ecologist and Botanist, Matt Peters, for a walk at Talbert Farm Trails to observe some special natural communities as well as spring ephemeral wildflowers. Matt has prepared an Ecological Inventory Report for the town and will be conducting some field walks to special areas of interest. This will be the first field walk. Meet at Talbert Farm sugarhouse on Bothfeld Hill Road on Saturday, May 3, at 2 pm. The Conservation Committee will be sponsoring a bird walk along the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail near Channel Drive (off Route 15). This is a very special area with a great deal of bird diversity, due to the proximity of wetlands, open water and forested areas. It is not uncommon to see and hear 40 bird species. The Rail Trail makes walking flat and easy. Bird enthusiast, Tom Berriman, will once again lead us on the walk which starts promptly at 7:30 am on Sunday, May 18. welcome, and we all dance with each other. We use genderless terminology and all dances are taught, and easy to learn, but if you’ve never been to a contra, you are encouraged to arrive right at 7:00, as we will start with the simplest dances, and then we’ll build upon what you learn throughout the evening. Admission is on a sliding scale, $5-10 suggested, but nobody is turned away for lack of funds! Water is provided, or bring your own water bottle. Masks are welcomed but not required, and we’ll have the windows open to let in the fresh spring air!

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Force Update

bench. These projects are estimated to cost $3.2 million. Currently, the statewide demand for these FEMA funds is so great (with the first funding priority being property buyouts) that we are not overly optimistic about our chances of success. To be eligible for funding, we need to demonstrate that the flood damages incurred in 2011, 2023, and 2024 are equal to or greater that the project costs. This has been a challenge to document these costs, especially those dating back to 2011. We have a buyout grant for the Cabot Garage in the village. Under this grant, the owner of the Cabot Garage would be compensated for the appraised value of the property and the property would become town property used for replacement of the culverts and construction of a bridge across Main Street. There are ongoing environmental site assessments of the property for contamination from past uses. The Select Board has also allocated funding for a study of alternate locations for the Cabot Garage in and around the village in the event that this flood mitigation project can move forward.

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Welcome

Directions: Channel Drive is on Route 15, 2.2 miles west of the junction of Routes 2 and 15, and 3.3 miles east of the junction of Routes 215 and 15. Note: You will be directed to off-road parking on Channel Drive on the right after you turn off Route 15. Please carpool where possible and arrive early so we can start promptly. Bring binoculars if you have them. This walk is for all levels of birding knowledge.

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Consulting and Gardening

Have you heard of “No Mow May”? It is a campaign encouraging people to leave their yards unmowed throughout May, in order to support pollinators just becoming active after a long winter. It does, at first glance, sound like a good idea. But upon further consideration, there are a couple complications. 1. Lawn plants are primarily grasses. Grass is wind-pollinated, not insect -pollinated, so the pollen it makes isn’t collected and eaten by insects. 2. Lawn plants are primarily nonnative. Most lawns are a mix of grasses, clovers, and dandelions which are not naturally found on this continent. While the flowering plants provide some amount of forage to some generalist species of pollinators, they don’t do much for the native bee species. However, the real problem I see with “No Mow May”, is the feeling that we’ve completed our job caring for the environment. If we leave it at that, we miss the many, many other impactful things we could be doing. Here is a short list of ways to make a real difference in your yard. Grow native plants: whether it’s flowers in a garden, a shrub border, or a few trees, native plants will support a diverse array of pollinators. Many native trees and shrubs host caterpillars, which are crucial food for nesting songbirds. Berries and nuts from native plants are excellent food for birds and mammals.

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Let part of your landscape be tall

meadow: if you have the space, allow some plants to grow tall, and mow just once every 1-2 years. There are lots of great plants that grow to 2-3 feet (think goldenrod and joe pye weed). These tall plants provide hiding and nesting places for birds and small mammals, forage and shelter for insects and other invertebrates, as well as pollen and seeds.

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or No?

Build a brush pile: a pile of branches is great habitat for insects, worms, and spiders, which in turn can feed birds and mammals. It also gives you an excuse for being slightly untidy. Do keep piles small, 4’ tall and not much wider, and just have one or two, so you don’t inadvertently create a wildfire hazard.

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Turn off lights at night: many, many

creatures need the dark to live their lives. Night flying insects, bats, some birds, and many mammals are primarily active at night. Studies have shown that even humans are healthier with dark skies at night. Keep decorative lights on a timer so you can enjoy them for the early evening hours, and then have them turn off automatically. If you need security lights, use motion-sensor versions rather than leaving them on all night. So is “No Mow May” a bad thing? Not at all. It might be the first step of thinking about how your yard is tied to the rest of the natural world. Grass clipped high, at 4” or so, is certainly better than a scalped lawn, allowing more cover for insects and other creepy-crawlies. Letting the dandelions and clovers bloom will feed some of the less-fussy pollinators. So by all means, let the lawn be a little high all season long, and let flowers bloom in your lawn. Just don’t stop there…as long as “No Mow May” is the start of more good actions, I’m all for it! Happy May, and happy gardening! This garden article is brought to you by Susan Socks, aka the Garden Goddess. Stay tuned for upcoming articles on green lawn care, pruning, garden tools, edible landscapes, and more. For gardening help, visit the Garden Goddess page at www.SocksFamilyFarm.weebly.com, email gardengoddess802@gmail.com, or

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Property Owners

Cabot Listers are busy this time of By statute, the 2025 Grand List be filed by June 4, and the followtasks must be complete: All homestead declarations filed with the Department of Taxes are recorded, including reporting of business or rental use, so the appropriate tax rates (homestead or nonhomestead) may be applied to property values; All 150 Current Use parcels must be updated with changes to acreage or structures, homestead status or withdrawals, so residents receive all benefits of the program and the town receives the “hold harmless” reimbursement from the state next year; Qualifying veterans receive the $40,000 reduction in taxable property value approved by Cabot voters; Changes to properties since last year are reflected in new property values – this includes structures torn down being removed and improvements being added; Update taxable values for business personal property, utilities and cable assets in town; Recording new owners of properties transferred before April 1, 2025. Statute dictates the Grand List records the owner of record as of April 1; transfers after that date will be recorded after property tax bills go out.

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Here are a few important

you should know: You have the right to grieve your property valuation. If the value changed from last year, listers will mail a change of appraisal notice to the address on file, providing the previous and new values and explaining your grievance rights. Even without a change in value, you always have the right to grieve your property valuation. The time to do this is in May, before the final Grand List is filed, but you may inform listers at any time of your desire to grieve. You can expect to be scheduled in May to present the facts in ters owners years cord rect contact if questions. file sense terms your

go from of over the Clerk Lister We sure in, Cabot Jeanne and

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DEADLINES AFFECTING

1 : Property ownership and value assessed Property values may be grieved in person, Property owners are notified in writing previous year, but change is not required 4: Grand List filed with Town Clerk Selectboard, Town Clerk and and compute and mail property tax bills, of record as of April 1, 2025, to address owner. 21: first property tax payment due 1: Deadline to enroll in Current of parcel at

20: final and full property tax by 5 p.m. -December : Any changes to Grand by submitting Errors and Omissions No changes may be made after December

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Need to Know

question, unless the issue has been previously resolved through communication. You are responsible for ensuring the contact information we have for you is accurate. If your address is out of date and you miss the opportunity to grieve because you didn’t receive the change of appraisal notice, you may lose the opportunity to correct your records. The responsibility to maintain accurate records for your property is shared between the owner and the listers. We do our best to maintain awareness of changes to parcels throughout the year, but we cannot be everywhere and do not see everything. We follow up on building permits and delete structures that are removed when we are aware of the change, but property owners cannot be sure necessary changes are made without being in touch with the lister office. FOR THESE REASONS, Cabot lisstrongly encourage ALL property to touch base with us every few and ask to see their property recard. Make sure we have your coraddress, and email and telephone information, so we can reach you your mailing is returned or we have Review the data we have on to ensure it is accurate and it makes to you. We are HAPPY to explain and measurements, and we want data to be correct. We would love to sit down with you to over the data, but this may be done anywhere by emailing us for a copy your lister card, which we can discuss the phone, or if you find yourself in Willey Building to see the Town or go to the Library, stop at the office and request your Lister card. really want to work with you to enall the data is correct. Please stop call or email. Board of Listers Johnson, Jacqueline Lumbra, Brittany Butler Listers@cabotvt.us

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PROPERTY OWNERS

as of this date (by statute) by phone, in writing or via if there are changes in value to authorize grievance. and secured in the vault. Town Treasurer establish tax based on final Grand List, to of record provided by prop-

at Town Clerk’s office by 5 p.m. Use program, or 30 days after

payment due at Town Clerk’s

List after June 4 may only be request to selectboard for deci31.

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For up-to-date directions and

locations, visit website and map of participating sites at https://www.vermontcrafts.com/

Open Studio Weekend is a statewide celebration of the visual arts and creative process, offering a unique opportunity for visitors to meet a variety of artists and craftspeople in their studios, some of whom are only open to the public during this event. Those who experience Open Studio gain an appreciation for the creative process and the role that artists and craftspeople play in the vitality of Vermont’s communities. Participating small galleries and art centers show the work of local artists. Twice a year the self-guided tour features both long time participants and those new to the tour, giving faithful Open Studio visitors new destinations. The studio tour brings visitors to historic Vermont villages and along back roads with spectacular vistas. Martha Fitch, the director of the Vermont Crafts Council that organizes the event, says the allure of the Open Studio tour is that “it takes you through small towns and backroads, with the yellow Open Studio signs and the Vermont Studio Tour map easily guiding visitors to the studio location.” This year’s tour includes the work of glassblowers, jewelers, printmakers, potters, furniture makers, weavers, metal workers, painters, sculptors, and fiber artists working with silk and felt. The free Vermont Studio Tour booklet contains maps and directions. The maps, along with the yellow wayfinder signs placed along the roads, guide visitors to arts sites. Pick up a tour guide from any participating artist, gallery, or art center, or download a pdf from the website vermontcrafts.com.

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Cabot area artists:

 Blackthorne Forge – Steven C. Bronstein. Functional and sculptural, contemporary ironwork. 3821 Rte 2, Marshfield VT 05658.  Back Roads Farm – Sandy Pond. Pottery, functional, spiritual, sculptural, Judaica. 201 Urban Farm Way, Cabot VT 05647.  Joe’s Pond Craft Shop – Deborah Stresing. Showing the work of area artists. 2748 Rte 2, W Danville VT 05873.  Hail Mary – Mary Tapogna. Mosaics, lamps, portraits, animals, commissions. 247 Park Avenue Lyndonville Vt 05851. Fall Open Studio Weekend – October 4 & 5 .

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HOW TO REPORT USPS Re-

lated SMISHING: To report USPS related smishing, send an email to spam@uspis.gov.  Without clicking on the web link, copy the body of the suspicious text message and paste into a new email.  Provide your name in the email, and also attach a screenshot of the text message showing the phone number of the sender and the date sent. Include any relevant details in your email, for example: if you clicked the link, if you lost money, if you provided any personal information, or if you experienced any impacts to your credit or person.  The Postal Inspection Service will contact you if more information is needed. Forward the smishing/text message to 7726 (this will assist with reporting the scam phone number).

Complaints of non-USPS related smishing can also be sent to any of the following law enforcement partners of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service:  • Forward to 7726 (this will assist with reporting the scam phone number). • Report fraud to the Federal Trade Commission (https://reportfraud. ftc.gov). • The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI), Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3) (https:// www.ic3.gov/)

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New Prices for July

WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. Postal Service filed notice April 9 with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) of mailing services price changes to take effect July 13. The new rates include a 5cent increase in the price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp from 73 cents to 78 cents. U.S. Postal Service Recommends

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Current

Letters (1 ounce) Letters (metered 1 ounce) Domestic postcards International postcards

International letter (1 oz) 73 cents 69 cents 56 cents $1.65

$1.65

The additional-ounce price for singlepiece letters will increase from 28 cents to 29 cents. The Postal Service is also seeking price adjustments for the Special Services products. Notably, the Postal Service will apply a price reduction of 12 percent for postal insurance when mailing an item. As changes in the mailing and shipping marketplace continue, these price adjustments are needed to achieve the financial stability sought by the organization’s Delivering for America 10-year plan. USPS prices remain among the most affordable in the world. Following a directive from the PRC, the Postal Service is filing two sets of prices for Marketing Mail and Package Services products. While only one set of rates will go into effect on July 13, these prices address the pending proposal to eliminate Bound Printed Matter and expand Marketing Mail, pending the

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ERMONT

the governors of the Postal Service, would raise mailing services product prices approximately 7.4 percent. If favorably reviewed by the commission, the price change would include:

New Prices for July 2025 prices Planned prices 78 cents 74 cents 62 cents $1.70

$1.70

commission’s approval. USPS will release additional communications to address price changes in these categories. The PRC will review the changes before they are scheduled to take effect. The complete Postal Service price filing, with prices for all products, can be found on the commission’s website under the Daily Listings section. The Mailing Services filing is Docket No. R2025-1. The price tables are also available on the Postal Service’s Postal Explorer website at pe.usps.com/PriceChange/Index .

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Cabot Oral History Committee

The school in Cabot’s District No. 5 was located on the road to South Walden, about three miles from Cabot Village. Over the years, the school was referred to by whatever family either lived nearby or had several youngsters going there. However, why it was referred to as Merritt School when it closed in 1943, is a mystery. No one seems to recall a family by that name living in the area. One of the earliest settlers on that

Maple season at Walbridge farm, 1900s. road was Daniel Webster Rogers, born in 1824. He was the son of Hanson and Hannah Webster Rogers, and married Louise Whittier (1826-1907), daughter of John Whittier, Jr. They had five boys, James, Franklin, Charles Henry, Robert Harvey, and Herman Alonzo; and one daughter Florence, who married Sam Norris. Florence and Sam eventually took over the Rogers farm sometime after the turn of the century when her parents moved to the village. That farm was later owned by Phil Pike, Jr. For a few years the school was known as “the Rogers School” and later “Smith’s School,” before it became “Merritt School.” The original schoolhouse was a small, one-story building, but as the population in that area grew, a new school was built directly across the road. Addie Arthur taught there in the 1920s. She earned $17 a week and paid $7 a week board. Addie later married Earle Pike and had to give up teaching. Married women were not generally allowed to teach in most Vermont towns at that time. That policy changed radically during Worl War II when teachers were in short supply.

Dooryard at the Walbridge farm

When Eunice Fifield taught at Merrett School in the early 1930s, she had from 20 to 25 students. Children from Amadon, Houston, O’Brien, and Gochey families attended during that time, also five Pike and four Searles youngsters. By 1937 there were only 13 students. In an

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5 & 6,

interview for the Cabot oral history book, Cabot Vermont, A Collection of Memories From the Century Past , published in 1999, Marjorie (Searles) Gendron described what it was like going to school when she was there: “We pledged the flag and the teacher read a passage from the Bible each day before classes began. There were two outhouses, one for the boys and one for the girls – in the winter you didn’t dilly-dally long when you were out there.”

Merritt School and students, date unknown Like most of Cabot’s one-room schools, either a parent or one of the older students served as janitor and was responsible for shoveling a path in winter, starting a fire in the big woodstove that heated the classroom, and bringing a jug of water for drinking and washing hands. School was never cancelled unless the teacher was too ill to be there. Most teachers boarded nearby, sometimes having to change boarding places every few weeks to distribute the privilege. Donovan Houston told about his brother, Howard “cutting up” when Mr. Phelps was the teacher at Merritt School. “Phelps picked Howard up by the collar and was swinging him around and around – Howard’s feet hit a pail of water we’d brought up from a nearby spring and the pail flew right over Myrtie Salls head – she was on her knees getting a book or something, so she wasn’t hit. Nobody dared to laugh.” Donovan said that when Dora Ennis taught there, she used “a big wide ruler to strike the palm of their hands if you misbehaved.”

Merritt School, South Walden Road

Howard Walbridge went to school there when his aunt, Elsie Walbridge, was the teacher. He had strict orders to call her “Miss Walbridge,” never “Aunt Elsie.” Merritt School finally got electricity in 1940, but by that time there were few students in the district and in 1943 the school closed and the building was sold. The few remaining youngsters from that area went to the Village School. Everett and Mary (Lyford) Walbridge’s buildings are gone now – the house was taken down in 1982 and some of the lumber used to build a shed for Mike and Sally Rushman. Cabot’s Town Farm was on that road, but few people today remember when overseers like C. M. Fisher and later Ned Barnett helped destitute citizens through hard times and the depression years at that farm. In place of productive farms with mowed hayfields and pastures dotted with cows, now there are single-family homes tucked behind stately trees along the paved two-lane highway that is South Walden Road. A spacious recreation fieldhouse shares parking space with the impressive Cabot Fire Department building. Further along the road is where the relatively new highway department garage stands and beyond that about 900 acres are preserved as the Cabot Town Forrest. The dairy farms with large families of youngsters needing schooling are gone, along with any evidence of the school that once served them.

.Reed School, District No. 6, Danville Hill (now Urban Road) Across town and high on Danville Hill, Reed School was located in District No. 6 on the west side of what is now Urban Road and at the intersection of an old road that used to go west towards what is now the Langone farm. It is unclear when this school was first opened, but it appears on a map of Cabot dated 1858. That building was described in the Superintendent of Schools Report in 1885 as being “less than worthless.” Some of the families living in the area at that time were E. P. Reed, D. W. Reed, C. Russell, F. Hall, N. Davidson, several Morses, and A. Heath, so there were sufficient students to warrant building a new schoolhouse. The superintendent’s report described the new schoolhouse as being “a few rods away on land purchased from Mr. Batchelder,” and “the best fitted and furnished house in town.” When Arecca (Gamblin) Urban first attended Reed School, Jesse Beaton was the teacher. Arecca remembered there were cloakrooms at the entrance, lots of windows for good light, a big stove in the middle of the classroom for heat, and the customary communal water jug. Unfortunately, the schoolhouse burned down in 1918. Authorities thought that mice chewed the matches in the teacher’s desk, starting a fire. Florence Smith, one of Allan Smith’s daughters, was teaching there that year and the Gamblin children and the Smith’s youngsters were her only students. After the building burned, classes were held in the Smith’s living room for the remainder of that year and the following year students were sent to school in the village. Arecca drove a horse to school, picking up fellow students with a pung sled or buckboard wagon along the way – a little over two miles to the village. There was a road that came from what is now Urban Way to where Menards (now the Langone farm) lived, and Arecca said it was bitterly cold some mornings going down through there. She was only in fifth grade when she began driving the “school bus,” and did it for several years. Only a few people knew about the Reed School or where it was located until Arecca’s daughter, Velma (Urban) Smith had a sign made in about 2013 so that the school where her mother and so many other youngsters in the Danville Hill area first trudged to classes each day would not be forgotten. Cabot’s one-room schoolhouses served their communities well for many years. They were where children not only learned their “three Rs” -- Reading, Writing, and Reckoning (arithmetic), they also learned social skills by joining with adults at neighborhood parties, special school events, and celebrations. It was not uncommon for a teacher to have 20 or more students learning at different grade levels. Older students sometimes helped tutor younger students, and because classes were held in one large room, students learned from hearing the recitations of upper grade students. The teacher’s word was law and if a student disobeyed the rules, punishment was usually strict and immediate. It might be a whack or two on the hands with a ruler, staying after school to finish assignments, or helping with manual labor such as bringing in wood for the woodstove. It was rare for parents to question a teacher’s discipline methods. Most often, having been disciplined at school meant more punishment when the errant youngster arrived home. The school bells that called students to class in these little one-room schoolhouses are silent now and the memory of them fades a little more each time a former student disappears from our midst.

South Walden Road, 1900’s

South Walden Road, 1920

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Ryerson

Saturday, May 3 from 4 to 6 pm 4 pm Art Opening: Cynthia Ross is an artist, writer, and teacher. She has lived in Vermont since the mid-1970s, coming to know it first through painting out in nature. The works in this exhibition, painted in and around Plainfield, Marshfield, and Calais in the 1970s, reflect her developing relationship with the landscape, encounters with the natural world and appreciation of Vermont life. 5 pm Poetry Reading with Marjorie Ryerson: Marjorie Ryerson is an award -winning book author, journalist, photographer, teacher, and poet. Marjorie will read a selection of poems from her 2023 book, The Views from Mount Hunger, as well as some poems that will appear in her next poetry book, Watershed Wanderings . Marjorie’s 2003 art photography book, Water Music, won both national and international recognition and awards, and she then ran the Water Music Project (www.water-music.org), which grew out of the publication of that book.

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Saturday, May 17, from 7:30 to 11

am (Rain date Sunday, May 18, 7:30 to 11 am) Join naturalists Bob Popp and Betsy Zeigler to meet some of the many species of birds who are returning to our Vermont woods after their long spring migrations. We'll learn to identify species by both sight and sound, and also discuss bird behavior and ecology. We will meet at the Stranahan Town Forest parking lot at the beginning of Thompson Road (right off of Hollister Hill Road). This event is sponsored by the Marshfield Conservation Commission & the Jaquith Library.

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at the Jaquith Library

about his 2024 Vermont Reads book, Gather, and its themes of resilience, addiction and recovery, and the power of community. Co-sponsored by the Jaquith Public Library in Marshfield and the Cutler Memorial Library in Plainfield. Free copies of the book Gather are available at the Jaquith Public Library and the Cutler Memorial Library.

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Garden Seed and Transplant Swap

Saturday, May 31, from 10 am to 2 pm We don't want to help spread snakeworms with our usual Spring Perennial Plant Swap, but we do want to help spread plants. Do you have extra flower or vegetable seeds, or extra flower or vegetable plants ready to transplant? If they are grown in potting mix, i.e., not garden soil, and if they are hardened off, bring them to the Jaquith Public Library to share with our neighbors. Please label with the variety name and any other important information.

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Up Lawn Sale

Saturday, May 31, 10 am to 2 pm The Spring Pop-Up Lawn Sale Fundraiser for the Jaquith will include lawn sale items, books, baked goods and art supplies . The community is invited to help support the library and celebrate spring as vendors, donors, and attendees! All proceeds support Jaquith Public Library programming, including the free summer concerts. How you can participate: Lawn Sale: After spring cleaning, are you wondering what to do with all the things you no longer need? Are you an artist or craftsperson looking to sell your work? Would you like to help support your local library? If so, you are invited to participate in the Lawn Sale. To reserve a space, please contact the library and bring $20 cash or check to the library by noon on Friday, May 30. V endors are responsible for providing their own setup, including tables, chairs, and tents.

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Art Supply Donations: The Friends of

the Jaquith is organizing an art supply sale. If you have extra new or gently used art supplies you are willing to donate, contact Corinne Gretch at 518-593 -0169 or corinnegretch@yahoo.com. Baked Goods: If you are interested in donating baked goods, please contact the library to sign up.

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Join us each Saturday from 10-1

at the Old Schoolhouse Common for local vendors, live music, and free community led Skill Shares. Vending space is free, so if you are interested in applying as a vendor, leading a class (we provide a small stipend), or playing on the gazebo stage, please email marshfield nh@gmail.com.

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Tool Lending Library Coming Soon

to the Jaquith Public Library! We are accepting donations of good condition tools, kitchen equipment, and gardening tools. Our shed arrives on April 30 th . This is a project of the Marshfield Resilience Hub and the Jaquith Public Library. A big thank you to Cooperation Vermont for donating the tool shed.

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Big Changes Upstairs

by Johanna Thibault

Something new is taking shape on the second floor of Harry’s Hardware. Renovations are currently underway to convert the upstairs space into a more welcoming and versatile area designed with the local community in mind. Whether it’s a quick stop for tools, a cinnamon bun, or a pint of Vermont craft beer, Harry’s has long been a gathering place in town — and this new development aims to deepen that connection. The updated second floor will feature a lounge-style setup: comfortable seating, free Wi-Fi, and plenty of outlets, making it an ideal daytime space for working remotely, reading, or informal meetings. Beyond day-to-day use, the space is also being designed with flexibility in mind. Local residents and groups will be able to host gatherings, clubs, and events — from art nights and collage circles to parent meetups and casual hangs. There will also be opportunities to reserve individual rooms or rent the entire floor for private events, workshops, or celebrations. While the upstairs gets a refresh, the rest of Harry’s Hardware and The Den continues to serve the community as it has for years. As always, the shop sells hardware, feed and other household necessities, and if what is needed is not on the shelf, it can often be ordered it for

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Crafting Group on Tuesdays 4:30 to

6 pm and the fourth Saturday of every month 11:30 am to 1 pm Bring whatever craft you are working on or start a new project. All ages are welcome if they are old enough to be sitting and working on a craft. Knitting and spinning maven, Donna Hisson from Marshfield, is the host of the group.

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at Harry’s Hardware!

you. The Den — now in its eighth year — remains a cozy spot to grab a beer while browsing or to sit down for lunch or dinner. Its lively event calendar includes retro game nights, cribbage tournaments, live music, comedy shows, and the always-popular game nights featuring pizza from Hook & Peel. With warmer weather around the corner, the outdoor deck will soon reopen for sunny afternoons and community gatherings. In addition to its hardware and hospitality, Harry’s continues to highlight local producers. Espresso drinks made with 802 Coffee beans and pastries are available daily, with Thursday morning cinnamon buns delivered fresh from Heyday Farm & Bakery. All menu items come from Vermont businesses within an hour of Cabot, including Paprika Catering Company, Vermont Pie and Pasta, Green Mountain Twisters, and Rhapsody Natural Foods. Renovations on the second floor are well underway, with fresh paint going up, lighting and furnishings being selected, and permitting in progress. As the space takes shape, so does the vision for what it will offer — a flexible, comfortable gathering place built for and by the Cabot community. Harry’s hopes to open the new space by early summer, and looks forward to welcoming folks upstairs to connect, create, work, and unwind.

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Director Cabot Public Library

We are all aware that the Trump Administration has been making significant cuts to federal spending, across a wide swath of departments, and involving budget and staff reductions. The organization that provides support for libraries around the country has been subject to quite draconian reductions, which will have a downstream impact on public libraries across the country, including here in Cabot. In terms of background, on the afternoon of Monday, March 31, Teri DeVoe, Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) sent the following message to all State Librarians: “Within the last hour IMLS received word that all staff (approximately 70 employees) are going to be placed on administrative leave, effective today. We will not be able to work or respond to your emails, and we don’t have any information about future timelines related to this action.” Nearly one month after the executive order was signed, the federal administration has still not provided information to the VT Department of Libraries so that they can determine what impact this might have on annual grants. The Vermont Department of Libraries receives roughly 2/3 of its operating budget from the State of Vermont and roughly 1/3 of its funding from IMLS through its Library Service Technology Act Grants to States Program. Vermont’s 2024 Grants to States allocation of $1.24M was used to support the following services and programs provided by the Department: Access to reliable information through the Vermont Online Library and research databases, the Palace Pro-

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Wednesday, May 7, 2025, after lunch

presentation by Jean McDermott, Senior Medicare Patrol, Vermont Team Lead/ Community Outreach Specialist GENERAL SCAMS: Scammers are persistent and do not discriminate! Although anyone of any age can be scammed, as someone ages into their senior years, fraudsters will target them more in hopes they have become more vulnerable with age. Join Jean McDermott from the federally funded nonprofit program SMP, as they lead a discussion on how to stay safe from common scams targeting older adults, especially scams through the internet, phone, and via text message. Saturday, May 24 from 10am to 2:30 pm. Advanced Gelli Plate Print Workshop with Nancy Chapman This is one of the hottest, trendiest and easiest printmaking techniques. Make monoprints without the need for a large, expensive press. https://www.you tube.com/shorts/67ZTzkDY0oM All supplies are included. This workshop

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Library?

ject App, and the collections of the State Library, ABLE Library, and institutional libraries; Statewide Interlibrary Loan infrastructure, which supports robust resource sharing between libraries in the state and expands their collections; Shared cultural resources through library programming, author residencies, and state book awards; and Training and workforce support for libraries, directors, and trustees including online classes and the Vermont Certificate of Librarianship program, direct consultation to library staff and trustees, and regional and topical roundtables to promote excellence in library service. According to Cabot Library Director Kathleen Hoyne, several essential programs for Cabot residents are at risk; the interlibrary loan (ILL) system, which provides library patrons with access to books that are not part of the library’s collection or that the library doesn’t have the budget to accommodate (approximately 400 books are provided to patrons through this service each year). IMLS also supports the ABLE Library program, which provides free equipment/ large print books for the blind, visually impaired, and those with physical or reading disabilities, and offers continuing education courses and workshops that are required for librarians to obtain their Certificate of Public Librarianship. Cabot Library staff will continue to monitor developments at the federal level, and alert library patrons and town residents of any further specific impacts on the services offered by Cabot Library. Given the uncertainties surrounding the cuts being made at the federal level, it is difficult to predict what future impacts we might see.

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U PDATE

is by donation of $25 per person to TVSC.

tor@twinvalleyseniors.org to register. Space is limited to 10 people so register early. Tuesday, May 27 from 3 pm to 5 pm Free Cooking for 1 or 2 on a Budget: A Free Cooking Demo! Tips, Recipes & Tasty Samples to Enjoy! Are you tired of cooking full meals only to be left with piles of leftovers? Looking for ways to enjoy healthy, satisfying dishes without overspending or wasting food? Join us for a fun and informative cooking demonstration designed especially for individuals and small households! Free Admission – But Space is Limited! Reserve your spot today!

email: director@twinvalleyseniors.org Wednesday, June 4 following lunch at noon. Estate and Advanced Directives with Claudia Pringles, Esq. and Nick Hart, Financial Advisors at Edward Jones.

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LIBRARY HOURS: Monday noon - 6

pm, Tuesday 10 am - 6 pm, Wednesday 2 - 6 pm, Thursday noon - 6 pm, and Saturday 9 am- noon. Curbside library service is still available during regular library hours. Dungeons and Dragons (ages 9 - 13) Ongoing - Tuesdays, 3:30 - 5:00 pm Join Losada Stoddard as DM for our newest D&D campaign. Learn how to build a Dungeons and Dragons character and then set out on your Adventures. No experience necessary! Come for the mysteries and magic, tails and talons, puzzles and prophecies! Snacks provided. New members are welcome anytime!

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Teen Library Summer Job Opening -

June 24 - August 7 - Are you looking for a fun job? The Library is looking for a teen who wants to help with Story and Activity Time for children, family programming and other library related projects! Days and times are variable with some morning, afternoon and evening commitments - June 24 through August 7. Pay is $15/

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WELCOME

If you’re living with a long-term (or “chronic”) tes, cancer, or heart disease—you’re not alone. at least 1 chronic health problem. Many have Long-term health problems can lead to for you to work, care for yourself, and enjoy help you better manage your chronic illness, health events down the road. There’s a lot and live a healthier, more productive, and more

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HOW WE’LL

This workshop meets for 2.5 hours, one Your workshop leader and fellow participants learning to: Solve problems and create plans for action Learn about nutrition Get more physical activity into your daily Be an active partner in working with Manage your medications to get better Work through the emotional challenges condition Our workshops are free of cost for all participants. ted to making sure all Vermonters have access gies to take control of their health

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L IBRARY N EWS

hour - up to 84 hours. Must be at least 15 years old, have transportation, enjoy working with children and adults, have a positive attitude and a strong work ethic. Send a letter of interest and any relevant experience to Amanda Otto at amandaotto.cabot library@gmail.com by Monday, May 19. Preference is given to Cabot residents. Interviews on Wednesday, June 4. This opportunity is made possible by the Wiswell Foundation.

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Lessons from the Twentieth Century

– Timothy Snyder - Today, our political order faces new threats, not unlike the totalitarianism of the twentieth century. We are no wiser than the Europeans who saw democracy yield to fascism, Nazism, or communism. Our one advantage is that we might learn from their experience. Copies of this book will be available in the library for you to borrow. All are welcome! Email cabotlibrary@yahoo.com for more info and to be added to the book group email list.

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Coffee, Cards and Conversation –

Tuesday, May 27 - 10 am-11:30 am – Join friends and neighbors for a relaxing morning of coffee/tea, cards, dominos, board games, puzzles, etc. and conversation. Coffee/tea and treats provided. Many thanks to the Cabot Village Store, Burtt’s Apple Orchard and Neighbors in Action for donating food to a recent Story & Activity program. Additional thanks to Losada Stoddard for our D&D program on Tuesday afternoons. Thanks to Susan Socks for generously sharing her gardening knowledgefor our Spring Gardening Workshop. Thanks also to John Kerrigan for all the great stories from his new book, – Just Raise Your Left Hand: Tell Us a Story – which is available to borrow. Kathleen Hoyne – Library Director Amanda Otto – Youth Librarian

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Management Workshop

health problem—like arthritis, diabeAbout half of all American adults have 2 or more. serious complications that can make it hard your life. Healthy lifestyle changes not only they can also lower your risk of serious you can do to prevent these complications enjoyable life. We’re here to help.

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HELP YOU

day each week for a total of six weeks. will help guide and support you in

life your doctor and other care providers results and stay safe that can come with living with a chronic

That’s because we’re committo expert advice and proven strate-

9:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon here:

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← From the Cabot Chronicle