Hi all -

Don't forget to come to Butters this Saturday and hear music by some of our young local talent.  This Saturday, we'll be doing Teen Night at Butters.  I've attached posters - please feel free to circulate them to people you know - especially anyone under age 20 - who like to play or listen to good music.

Cheers, Gwen.

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__________________________________
Gwendolyn Hallsmith

gwenhs@gmail.com

work address:

Director, Department of Planning and Community Development
City Hall
39 Main Street
Montpelier, VT  05602
ghallsmith@montpelier-vt.org
802-262-6269

Hello Everyone,

Please don't forget to attend the final meeting coming up this Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 7pm in the Willey Building.

There was quite a bit of discussion at the last meeting on January 9th. It did appear that of the people in attendance, more seemed not quite happy with the project than liked it. The cost was a major issue. Less costly alternatives were suggested. Many concerns were voiced, however there still seems to be many unanswered questions.

Also even though the Chronicle stated there would be no public comment at this meeting, the Select Board, when asked, said that was incorrect and the public will have input this Wednesday as well. The Select Board also stated they had nothing to do with the listing in the Chronicle, and did not know who placed that listing.

There a lot of other aspects of this project that should be considered and your input is needed!

Thank you,
Tamara (Tamie) Marian
A concerned citizen running for Select Board

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Completion of the Main Street Scoping Study has made the Town of Cabot eligible to apply for VTrans grant funding; which was the primary purpose of the scoping study.

To that affect the Cabot Corridor Revitalization Committee is hoping to apply for a VTrans Alternative Grant for the purpose of raising the sidewalks between the school and the recreation field, enhance the crosswalks at the church and at gym road, to add new gateway signing at either end of Town, and narrow the mouth of South Walden road to ensure motorists are coming to a complete stop before entering Rte 215. These modifications are meant to slow motorists and create a safer corridor for use by the Town’s children as they move between the school and the recreation fields.

On January 16th the Cabot Corridor Revitalization Committee will present the grant application to the Cabot Select Board and ask for their approval to pursue the grant. This meeting is open to the public and will be at the Willey Building prior to the regular Select Board meeting.

If approved by the Select Board, and if Cabot’s grant application was to be chosen by VTrans, there would be a series of public meetings during, and throughout the design phase of the project.

Jeanne Johnson

802-595-7710 

CORRECTION - The VTrans Alternatives Grant will be presented to the Select Board at their regularly schedule meeting, starting at 7:00PM.
The final version of the scoping study is available on the town web site  www.cabotvt.us

Looks like our January thaw is about to end.  The thermometer has been slipping downward all morning, and is at the 40 degree mark after being close to 50.  It remained warm last night - around 38 or so, and came up for a while this morning when the sun was out, but now the clouds are closing in and the wind has picked up a bit from the northwest.  We lost a lot of our snow cover.  I measured at one point last week 18 inches at my back yard stake, and this morning it's showing just under 11 inches.

When we walked this morning, the road was very wet and the main road has plenty of sand or gravel on it; but underneath is ice.  There could be some icy spots as the temperature continues to drop, but actually the road by us doesn't seem bad at all.  Jamie and Marie's driveway is still snow covered, and will probably be pretty slick when it freezes.  I guess it depends on whether we get snow with the colder temperatures or not. Snow sometimes helps if it falls on the still moist ice.  And sometimes it just adds to the problem.  You can see that our driveway is clear and fairly dry, and the road below is shiny wet in spots.

I spoke with Diane Rossi this morning and she's wondering about the ice, but said yesterday there were fishermen out as usual, and some snowmobiles.  There's water on top of the ice in spots, and I expect most of the snow has melted, but perhaps there hasn't been too much loss of ice depth.   Jack and Sue LaGue reported around Christmas time they measured 6 inches in front of their house on Sandy Beach Road, and we had lots of below-zero nights after that, so there probably was a good base of ice when this thaw started.

We will be meeting with Larry Rossi this week to discuss the new placement of the Ice-Out Contest flag.  I'll have more to report on that probably this weekend.  The flag won't go out until sometime mid or late March, depending on the weather.  It's hard to tell at this point if there what to expect, and we may be rushing to get things set up before the ice is too dangerously thin to be on; or we may have some nasty March weather that will keep us from getting the flag set up, maybe even until after the contest closes on April 1st.  That has happened in the past.  Nobody wants to be out on the ice fiddling with ropes and wires in a blizzard.  We'll begin having regular ice reports soon - Fred will post them on home page, and I'll mention any developments here, too.

Speaking of home page - if you've noticed our web site is loading infuriatingly slowly recently, we have, too, and Fred is trying to get it corrected.  We don't know if it is a problem with our present host or with our internet service.  Either way, it's frustrating and Fred has been working on it since last Thursday, trying to get answers from GoDaddy or Fairpoint.  So far he hasn't made much headway, but will keep after it until the problem is solved.

This is a response from retired Cabot teacher, Helen Morrison yesterday's blog re. the school choice question coming up at Cabot's town meeting:  

I really liked your comments on the blog vis a vis school choice.  I, too, have heard that it could cost a whole lot more, and we'd lose a say in the education of our kids.  Add to that having to get the kids to the other schools, and the loss of an institution that helps make a "community", and we need to think very carefully before we change the set-up.  My understanding is that the high school is doing much better, the kids are into it, the rigor is going up.  I say, let's wait and, as you say, see what the State settles into.  Helen

I was going through a few days worth of newspapers this morning and happened on the article about Peacham Elementary School facing similar issues as Cabot.  It becomes very difficult for smaller schools to continue operating as population shifts occur and enrollment first swells and then dwindles.  In Cabot, this has happened repeatedly.  At one time or another there have been 14 school "districts" set up, each following the population shifts.  School was kept sporadically in the early years, according to weather or harvesting cycles and whether there was a teacher available.  Sometimes classes were held in centrally located homes, or in the meeting house, but over time, one-room schools were built and became the center of each cluster of residents.  The schools were where neighbors met for social gatherings and to conduct business meetings, and they were headquarters in times of crisis.  Not unlike Cabot School today.  Only, families were larger then.  With all eight grades in one school, a family might have four, five or more children going to school at the same time.  Schools in Cabot were located so no child would need to walk more than two miles to reach it.  And walk they did, or rode horseback or came in a buggy or sleigh, if they were lucky.  

After eighth grade, Cabot students who wished to continue their education had to go to academies in Danville, Hardwick, Barre, Montpelier or St. Johnsbury.  And that worked for some, but others simply couldn't manage it because there were chores to do at home and they had to help, or they couldn't afford to go.  Most, girls and boys alike, as soon as they were big enough, had to either work at home or go out to work to help support themselves and their family. 

Cabot established its first high school in 1909, a two-year school, and gradually, nearly everyone "went on to school" from eighth grade.  Eventually, as population centers shifted, one by one, all the one-room schools in Cabot were closed and children who lived in outlying areas were bussed to school in the village.  The dynamics certainly changed for those students coming from the hills to the village.  Over time, most adapted, but along with the new experiences and more choices, there was a loss of the closeness and special learning process that came from being in a small school where they helped the younger students and respected the older ones - their extended family.  

Today, in the fast-paced, irreverent, often violent society we have, it's a fair question to ask whether a larger, more diversified school setting is better for our youngsters or would we be exchanging a not-so-great situation for a really bad one?  Will there be more caring teachers?  Will parents still have input?  Will fewer kids "slip through the cracks"?  

There is a lot to think about, and I'm really glad I'm not a parent facing these questions.  But it's very much on my mind as I sit here with my computer and dusty history notes.  I sure hope we make the right decision, if indeed there is one.

I've seen a couple of things on Front Porch Forum recently to indicate the vote on school choice in Cabot will take place at the meeting held the evening before the regular town meeting.  Someone wrote today that it should be voted upon by Australian ballot at regular town meeting.  I don't know the logistics, reasoning, or even if this is what is going to happen, but I think voters in town should ask the right questions and get answers before it's too late and lots of people are surprised at the outcome.  Best to ask our town clerk just how this vote will be handled.  The office will be open at 9 a.m. on Monday.  Phone there is 563-2279.

If you haven't been following the school issue on Front Porch Forum, you should begin taking note and perhaps go to the library to read back issues copied there.  This is a complicated issue, and we need to think seriously about what's best for the children, weighing commuting to other schools, the type of education they'll get at other schools vs. Cabot, community financial gain or loss, less oversight regarding school policies - all kinds of things.  Once the high school students have left,  we will still have the elementary school on the same campus needing the same repairs, plus there will be the added expense paying tuition.  One estimate I heard was that tuition costs could add  an extra  $400,000 a year to the school budget, and that might be a conservative guess. 

The State of Vermont is apparently struggling with education questions.  It makes me wonder if we should hold off making a decision like this until things at the state level settle.  You never know - the trend towards unionizing schools could turn around and local schools could become the wave of the future and Cabot would then be ahead of the trend.

This lovely big turkey was cruising for food in our back yard this afternoon.  The few fern  seeds still available sticking through the deep snow were of interest, but every step was difficult, so after struggling past the apple trees, she took off in a graceful low glide just inches above the snow and landed in the bushes beside the road on the lower side of our lawn.  I imagine there would be better feed there.

Woody was very interested, but seemed content to hang out where it was warm and watch through the window.  Smart cat.  If you enlarge the photo by clicking on it, you may see how the bird's feathers are ruffled and wet appearing in places.  It had just begin to rain when I got this photo.

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Please join us the Friends of Cabot School for a

Free Community Spaghetti Dinner

Saturday, January 26th
at 4:30- 6:30 pm

At the Cabot School Cafeteria

4:30- 5:00pm- cheese and cracker greeting

5:00- 6:00pm- dinner

6:00- 6:30pm- presentation

In March the people of Cabot will make an important decision related to the future of our high school. This dinner event will provide an opportunity to learn about the high school students' accomplishments and understand the value to the entire community of keeping Cabot High School open. 

Childcare will be available during the event in the gym

If you’re inspired, bring a dessert to share!

 

We had a pretty nice day today - much warmer than it has been, but we didn't get any rain.  It was cold last night, though - got down to 13 degrees - but during the day it got up to about 34.  

We got together with Bill and Diane Rossi and Don and Diane Sherwood last night at the Rossi's.  It was Fred's birthday, and Diane made his favorites for dinner, chicken pie and white cupcakes with chocolate frosting.  It was soooooo good, and we had a great time.  

I know some of you will be surprised that the Sherwoods have been here since just after Christmas, and it hasn't rained yet!  They have brought rainy weather here every year at this time for I don't know how long.  We're glad to see the spell has been broken, and I have to say, bringing snow and great skiing weather this year has helped them regain some status after all those years of being dubbed "rain makers."

Don and Diane told us the cottage next to them belonging to Laurie (Ailes) Maguire has been bought by abutting neighbors Mark and Robin Nicholson.  That is good news as the old Ailes camp is ailing and needs help.  Diane was saying there is a lot going on along the east shore of the pond - Mary Ellen Stover is putting an addition on her camp, then there's the Keach cottage that was removed and there will be a new one in the spring.  Further up the pond there's work going on at the Richey's on North Shore Road, and there may be others she mentioned, but I can't remember.  We haven't been over on that side since early in the fall.  We do know that our neighbor, Henretta Splain, will be moving to her father, Henry Mills's place on Clubhouse Circle within a week or so.  We'll miss Henretta as our neighbor, but I'm sure she'll enjoy her new home, and we'll still see her.

I've been going through a recipe book that belonged to Grandmother Dimick.  It had belonged to her mother, or perhaps even an earlier relative of the May family in St. Johnsbury.  There is a printed recipe book dated 1845, and lots of hand-written recipes on various bits of papers - envelopes, pieces of calendars and letters dated in the early 1900's, so these are definitely old.
Here's the recipe for making yeast:
5 potatoes mashed.  Pour on 1 1/2 pints of boiling water, add 1 pint cold water and 1/3 cup of sugar.  Add 1 cup of yeast, set 5 hours and then bottle.

I was curious, so I searched on line for yeast made from potatoes, and found a slightly different recipe.  I expect more than yeast was made from potatoes back in the day here in Cabot, at least; potatoes were one of the best crops around for many years, and this is still good land for growing them.  There were stills aplenty as well, and I came across detailed plans for making a still when I was working on the Thomas Osgood collection last year.

Another recipe I found today that I particularly liked was for rusks.  These are hard biscuits that were easy to carry in a saddlebag or in a pocket, and they do not go bad, they just get harder.  I think they are the plain country cousins of Italian's traditional almond and lemon flavored biscotti, which I enjoy with my coffee.  This recipe for rusks is unflavored:
One pint of milk, one cup of yeast, one cup of sugar, half a cup of butter and two eggs.  Work up like bread, let it rise, then mould, rise again and bake.

Normally, even plain rusks are twice baked, I believe, which is what makes them dry and hard like biscotti, but this recipe doesn't mention baking time or temperature, so perhaps they were just baked slowly until good and hard.

There are lots of other recipes, and I'll probably transcribe some of them, at least, even though I don't know exactly who used them.  They are probably pretty representative of what people were eating in the mid to late 1800's, and that makes them interesting to me.

I read each scrap of paper - some I couldn't make out very well because the writing had faded with time, but twice I found this quote written neatly at the bottom of a recipe:  "Strength to my weakness - Rest to my weariness" - one had the date of November 8, 1897; the other was at the end of a recipe for "Cake that never fails being perfect," and was dated January 28, 1883.  Tomorrow I'll decide how to preserve these precious old recipes.

Here is the obituary for our friend, Irv Pollack:  Irwin W. Pollack