Art by Gary Blomgren
Volume 30
30th Anniversary~ 2020
Free • Since 1990
summer, 1990
The Views of Dummerston • Volume 1 Issue 1 • Summer, 1990
2 • 30th Anniversary Issue, 2020 • Views of Dummerston The Views of Dummerston is a quarterly newsletter published by a group of citizen volunteers since 1990, and has non-profit status through the Dummerston Community Center. Mary Lou McBean had the original vision for and was first editor of the Views, and Gary Blomgren created the original masthead art. The current steering committee includes Roger Turner (editor), Michelle Cherrier (co-articles coordinator and calendar), Fred Lee (layout), Sara Ryan (ad coordinator), Linda Rood (co-articles coordinator), and Lee Ives Tice (mailing). We always welcome new interest in joining the committee.
SUBSCRIPTIONS:
The Views is mailed free of charge to all residents of the town of Dummerston. It is also available online at viewsofdummerston.org. We encourage people to help us save printing and mailing expenses by cancelling their print subscription and accessing the Views online at viewsofdummerston.org; to do so please email Sara Ryan at: subscribe online@viewsofdummerston.org. If you are not a resident of Dummerston and would prefer to receive a paper copy of the Views, you may subscribe for an annual cost of $5. Mail a check made payable to Views of Dummerston, with your name and mailing address to Lee Tice, 230 School House Rd., East Dummerston, VT 05346.
ARTICLES:
We welcome all articles related in any way to the town of Dummerston, including news of town organizations, personalities, history, or activities. Email Microsoft Word documents (preferred) to: articles@viewsof dummerston.org. Typed or hand-written articles can also be sent to: Michelle Cherrier, 72 Miller Rd., East Dummerston, VT 05346.
CALENDAR:
Any (non-commercial) event you would like listed on our Calendar of Events should be emailed to: calendar@ viewsofdummerston.org, or mailed to Michelle Cherrier at the above address.
NEXT ISSUE: Submissions due: January 7, 2021 Views will be mailed on: February17, 2021 ADVERTISING:
Rates: All rates are for four issues, however a large or small box ad can be placed for just one issue at an adjusted rate. Payment should be by a check made out to the Views of Dummerston, and mailed to: Sara Ryan, 53 Greenhoe Rd., East Dummerston, VT 05346 Small Box Ad $55 Large Box Ad $85 Information/Inquiries: Contact Sara Ryan at: ads@ viewsofdummerston.org, or at 387-0110.
SPONSORSHIPS:
Sponsorships of $25 for four issues augment our ad revenues to provide us with operating funds. You will be notified when your sponsorship is up and invited to renew. If you wish to become a sponsor or have questions, contact Sara Ryan as above.
Digital Views Available Featuring easy navigation, clickable links, and full color, we’re sure you’ll love it! viewsofdummerston.org
Dummerston Selectboard Meetings Recorded and televised by BCTV and online at www.brattleborotv.org. (Select “Watch”, select “Watch On Demand”, select “Playlist”, scroll to “Dummerston”, select meeting.)
A World of Thank-Yous Thank you to everybody who writes articles about Dummerston town boards, committees, and organizations. It was the intent of Mary Lou McBean, our founding editor, that the Views would serve to foster communication and cooperation in town. Over the years we’ve had faithful correspondents from most all town offices and commissions, as well as the Windham Solid Waste Management District, the Fire Department, Community Center, and Dummerston Congregational Church. The Planning Commission has submitted many, many articles about their deliberations regarding changes to the town plan and zoning bylaws, trying to head off “surprises” when, at the very end of the process, a public hearing is held. Based on what’s happened at some of those meetings, it seems that people aren’t reading their Views! Every issue contains articles from the Conservation Commission, the Community Center, the Historical Society, and the Grange. Thanks to all of you who keep us informed about your organizations’ activities and deliberations, and the current issues in town. Some excerpts from these articles are included in this issue.
Thank you to the school principals and school board members who regularly write articles for the Views. Over the years, the coverage of what’s been happening in what were the schools, but now is just the school, has been terrific. From the article in our first issue by school board clerk Debbie Cook, each issue has contained at least one article about what’s happening in the school(s). We’ve also published students’ stories, poems, and artwork. The school board also regularly reports on their meetings, and since consolidation, our representatives still report on the business of their combined school board meetings. We often feel guilty, as deadlines approach and we still haven’t received the article from the principal or board, about hounding them for their articles. We know they intend to send us one, but we also know that the principal has an incredibly busy and demanding job, and board members are juggling board responsibilities with a day job. But they have always come through, and the community so appreciates it. We’re also reprinting excerpts from these articles, and of some student work.
Thank you to those who have written about a subject of personal or local interest, or about a local character. We’ve had a good number of articles about our residents, many, sadly, after they’ve died; we’ve run stories over the years about the lives and wisdom of three neighbors who’ve been alive for 100 years or more. We’ve printed poems and personal stories. We’ve run multiple stories about bridges, the effort to revive a granite quarry, the many efforts to revive Maple Valley, Apple Pie and Geranium Festivals, and personal recollections of life in earlier days. There have been notices of significant birthdays and wedding anniversaries. And the “Good Books” column has been a very popular regular feature in recent years. In other words, our articles are about everything that is of unique interest to Dummerston, and which defines us as a community. Thanks! And please keep them coming. We’re also including some excerpts from these articles from over the years.
And thank you to our volunteer folders! Our quarterly folding sessions are efficient and very social. Since starting as our mailing coordinator, Lee Tice has added the new en”tice”ment of getting her mom, Linda Ives, to bake a treat for us all to share during our evening together. Thanks to all who have helped out in the past, and, because many hands make light work, we’re always looking for more people to join us. If you’re interested, please send us an email at views@viewsofdummerston.org. Because our current financial situation is solid, we’ve been able to afford to pay our printer to fold and tape each issue during the pandemic. However, once we’re able to get together again, your help at a quarterly folding session will save us this additional expense.
The Views of Dummerston Mission Statement
Providing reports of town organizations, and stories of townspeople and their good deeds, in promoting cooperation and understanding toward creating a more “ideal” Dummerston. “All who read may also contribute!”—Mary Lou McBean, founder, Views of Dummerston
Views of Dummerston • 30th Anniversary Issue, 2020 • 3
The Rat-a-Tat History of the Views of Dummerston By Roger Turner
However, a core team of Judy Davidson, Bess Richardson, and Roger Turner continued to meet and strategize about how to resurrect the Views. See the reprint of “The Rebirth of the Views” in this issue for the details leading to the return of the Views for a Winter 98/99 issue. The Views has been published continuously since. To ease our financial difficulties, we found that as a community newsletter, the C&S Printshop would print the Views for a lower rate than
ups, sometimes fruitlessly. Again there was a good response, and in recent years article One year at town meeting, probably in 1989, submissions have been strong. Priscilla Svec, who’d been giving this subject In the history of the Views, we’ve published some thought, got up and said the town needed one special issue—Our School and Act 46: a newsletter. Mary Lou McBean and Bess RichIssues and Opinions. Normally we don’t engage ardson agreed that this was a great idea, and in town politics, but Act 46 was creating what the three of them began huddling and planning seemed to be a crisis of identity for our town. together. Mary Lou had been the editor of a So we published this special edition in an effort newspaper for the Episcopal Diocese of New to help people understand the issues involved York, so knew what goes into putting out with the possibility of giving up local a newspaper. She had recently moved to control of our school to become part of Dummerston full time, to a family house a unified school district of local towns, that she had been coming to for years, and with shared governance. We laid out she had a lot of interest in getting to know the issues, and we gave equal space to people and learning about Dummerston. opinions on both sides. She was also eager for a challenging We have an enthusiastic, veteran project. They enlisted Susan Hamilton folding crew (temporarily held out of (Mary Lou’s sister) and her husband work because of COVID), organized Doug, Anne Evans, and Susie LaPoint, by Lee Tice, our innovative mailing and they were off. coordinator; however, our folders would The first issue came out in the summer certainly appreciate some reinforcements. of 1990. You can read on the front page Sara Ryan is our very organized and of this anniversary issue Mary Lou’s conscientious ad and sponsorship coor“Reason” for creating the Views. We dinator. Fred Lee, our layout person, is have distilled this article into our current a professional book designer; it’s breathmission statement: “Providing reports of taking to watch him organize and finetown organizations, and stories of townstune text on the page, and it is thanks to people and their good deeds, in promoting him that the Views always looks great! cooperation and understanding toward Michelle Cherrier and Linda Rood keep creating a more ideal Dummerston. ‘All us organized by soliciting and compiling who read may also contribute.’” the stories for each issue. And Michelle, Computers were new, and none of Linda, Sara, Bob Sherwood, and I meet the organizers really knew how to use to proofread each edition before it goes them. But Ruth Marx and teacher Cynthia off to the printers. Kevin Ryan has been Leggot Daly could help with that, and our tech support person, helping us with typists were recruited to use computers obtaining our domain name, and getting at the school to digitize both hand-written our online edition set up on the Issuu and typed stories. Ruth also had the skills platform. Fred and Kevin collaborate to to do the layout. get each issue online, in full color, and The Views group liked the energy of with all links embedded in articles and Birches by Kiana Lewis appeared in our spring, 2009 issue the shared experiences of meeting to ad website names clickable. plan issues, and getting together when typing we’d been paying commercial print/copy shops. We’re all getting on in age, however, so we or to fold the printed newsletter for mailing. We also saved on postage costs by pre-sorting would welcome younger people to become The greatest difficulty was finding people who our mailings. The committee came up with the involved, and start taking over our responsiwould write stories. idea of offering sponsorships as a way to bulk up bilities. Then Mary Lou died quite suddenly and our bank balance, and the community responded And here’s an acknowledgement of and unexpectedly in 1993. The ship lost its captain, very favorably to this initiative. thanks to all those who have served on the but it steamed ahead. Because we have non-profit status through steering committee since the beginning: Mary It seems that at least once a year there the Dummerston Community Center, we are Lou McBean, Susan and Doug Hamilton, Priswould be a plea in the Views for people to grateful to have the services of their helpful, cilla Svec, Bess Richardson, Susie LaPoint, help with typing and writing, for people who conscientious bookkeeper, Ann Davis, who Patty Spaulding, Anne Evans, Joni Bertram, had computer skills, and for financial support. writes checks for us and provides us with Margaret Wilson, Ruth Marx, Mark Kracum, Sometimes there would be a good, but usually annual accounting reports. Jennifer Kracum, Jean Newell, Roger Turner, short-lived, response. Ads were barely paying While a lot of people pitched in enthusi- Judy Davidson, Jody Normandeau, Michelle for the expenses. astically when the Views restarted, over time Cherrier, Fred Lee, Bob Sherwood, Roni This all came to a head in the spring issue of they slipped away, and we’re always looking Byrne, Sara Ryan, Linda Rood, and Lee Ives 1998 when the crew determined they just could for help and for article writers. In the 2014 Tice. not continue. A notice in that issue declared that Spring issue, we printed a lament about how As so many have said in their tributes to the it was the last issue of the Views because of few articles we had received, and how our Views, may we keep publishing for another financial difficulties and a lack of worker bees. calls for articles were often requiring follow- 30 years!
4 • 30th Anniversary Issue, 2020 • Views of Dummerston Selected Excerpts from Articles:
Town Government and Organizations Spring, 2010 Dummerston Selectboard
Selectboard Appoints Town Officials, Health Officer Needed By Tom Bodett
a place that supports the best of living, and where we choose to bring up our children. If asked to describe Dummerston’s physical qualities and her people, the list would be long, colorful, varied,and probably contradictory. This would correctly reflect our town. We are a people of varied age, temperament, education, occupation, and social philosophy. Our lives reflect the terrain on which we have set root; often stony, seldom flat. If asked, community and place would be strong elements in how we would define our lives and our hopes for the future. All these qualities come to bear as we look to Dummerston’s future. What do we, as town residents, want our town to be?
the commission met every two weeks to consider the selectboard’s proposed changes in a series of workshops open to the public. Much of the work focused on the Land Use chapter, which had garnered the most attention at the selectboard’s hearings last summer and fall.…Thanks to public comment and the hard work of the selectboard, the Land Use chapter now more clearly and accurately expresses the town’s goals.This is true for the other chapters as well. …The planning commission appreciates those who took the time during the winter and spring to participate in the revision process. Your input helped strengthen the draft plan. Although a town plan that makes everyone happy is likely unattainable, we think the hard work has been done to make the revised Draft Plan a document that will serve the town well over the next five to ten years.
Between the time this report is written and when it is published we may have experienced all sixty-seven kinds of spring weather, but trust we’ve landed on the gentler end of the spectrum as you read this. With a kinder, gentler mud season the selectboard has been able to focus on the more positive and renewing aspects of its spring duties, including the appointment of a full roster of town officials. You will be happy to know we are fully stocked with everyone from a weigher of coal (Ruth Barton) to a shiny new town constable (Chad Farnum). So if that last load of coal looks light, call Ruth.If you have some petty crime you need ignored by an untrained volunteer quasilaw enforcement individual, call Chad. Board members Zeke Goodband and Wayne Emery have agreed to be our co-animal control officers and have a terrific good cop/bad cop routine to work on errant hounds and Sue Miller captured Mark Brown and Sam Farwell as they reassembled the steeple of wandering cows. the Congregational Church in the fall of 2019. Fall, 1991 Dummerston Planning Commission
Planning for Dummerston’s Future— Planning as a Tool to Guide Change By Ahren Ahrenholz
Spring, 2010 Dummerston Planning Commission
Planning Commission Completes Revised Draft of Town Plan; Welcomes New Commissioners By Elizabeth Catlin
Last November, the selectboard sent the The residents of Dummerston live here draft town plan back to the planning commisby choice whether we boast of residency of sion with suggestions, comments, and several generations, or a few years, this is proposed revisions.Starting in early January,
Fall, 2019 Dummerston Selectboard
Our Town Democracy Needs You! By Jerelyn Wilson
Do you ever think about what makes a healthy democracy? Regardless of your political persuasion, you probably appreciate living in a democratic society. The thing is, though, a democracy doesn’t just happen, and it’s not guaranteed that every democracy will remain a democracy. It takes intention and collective effort to ensure that democracy is maintained. We see this very clearly as we listen to world news or travel to distant places, but even here in the United States, we have to work to maintain a truly democratic society… …In Vermont we are especially lucky. We have a local form of government that gives us all the opportunity to participate. Town meeting gives us the ability to vote for our elected town officials and determine how and where we spend our money. Beyond participating in town meeting, there are many ways Continued on page 6
Views of Dummerston • 30th Anniversary Issue, 2020 • 5 Selected Excerpts from Articles:
Dummerston School Spring, 2020 Dummerston School Principal’s Report
School Staff Adapt to Social Isolation By Julianne Eagan
graders. While public health directives will guide our timing and action in this regard, we are committed to celebrating this class and look forward to the day when we can be together. Fall, 2017 Dummerston School Board Report
ciencies and ways to improve district-wide.A second AGS proposal would allow Dummerston to remain an independent district, and utilize our current board to meet the goals of Act 46.The committee has also investigated a Town Academy Model, as was done in North Bennington. This work has prepared us if a merger does not take place and we will hold forums to explain these options and understand the best path forward to comply with Act 46...
photo by roger Turner
My last submission to the Views featured Act 46 Vote Impending stories of our middle-school dance, the joyful sounds of our youngest children emanating By Kristina Naylor Summer, 2018 from the forest classroom, visits with local In addition to our regularly scheduled experts from the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Dummerston School Board Report Department, and students skiing, ice skating, programming, Act 46 continues to demand tumbling, bowling, and exploring farm and significant board attention.The merger vote Our Small School— field through our Winter Activities program. will likely have taken place by the time this Today, as I write these words, unimaginably, reaches your mailbox and we have been Reflection following our halls, forest, and fields sit silent as the working to assure the school’s continued Graduation physical building and campus of Dummerston success, whichever way the town has voted. . . By Michael McGillion The board was asked to investigate all School enters its sixth week of closure. Dummerston School Board Member Dummerston School staff, students, and alternatives to a merger during the last families have been The Dummernavigating a complex ston School recently emotional landscape celebrated an eighth as we adjust to our grade graduation on extended physical June 14th. If you had separation. While the good fortune to there is simply no be there, we’re glad replacement for you were able to learning together in come. If you missed the same shared space, it, you happened from the very moment to miss one of the we learned our doors defining moments of would be closed we life at a small school. began making plans Fourteen students, to stay connected with young men and students and famiwomen, celebrated lies. In the process, the achievements of we have learned that working hard. In turn, the love, connectedthe community celeness, and collective brated these students, strength of Dummeras individuals. Sounds ston School is not pretty standard for a contained within a graduation, right? physical building, but Well, let me tell you rather rests within all a bit more. . . of the individuals who The covered bridge weathers the onslaught of hurrican Irene in September of 2011. . . . Perhaps better make up our school than me explaining the ceremony, would be Town Meeting.A board subcommittee has community. While we grieve the loss of a shared spring with our students, we have been been studying and comparing all options to the words of a graduate, Emilio Ogden. Emilio honored and so grateful to continue our learning comply with the law. Two promising options came to the Dummerston School partway are “Alternative Governance Structures” through his sixth grade year from a school in together from a distance. . . For our eighth graders, a particularly painful (AGS), as outlined in Act 46 and 49. One anther nearby town. As he explained, “When element of the school closure is the loss of AGS would maintain the Dummerston Town I first came to Dummerston two and a half traditional rites of passage and rituals, including School Board but work more closely with years ago, I was overwhelmed by the kindour beautiful graduation ceremony in June. Our neighboring Windham Southeast Supervi- ness and acceptance that was shown to me. It hope is that, when it is safe to do so, we can bring sory Union districts.Recently other WSESU has been a wonderful and unique experience Continued on page 11 our community together to honor our eighth districts have joined with us to look for effi-
6 • 30th Anniversary Issue, 2020 • Views of Dummerston Selected Excerpts from Articles:
Town Government and Organizations Continued from page 4 to participate in the numerous commissions, committees, and task forces that help our town run smoothly. … And if you’ve made it to the end of the article, I want to invite you to seriously consider getting involved in the democratic systems that help keep our democracy strong. Consider running for one of the two upcoming open positions on the selectboard. Consider putting your name forward to represent Dummerston in the Windham Regional Commission or the Dummerston Energy Committee. And take a look in our town report at the list of all the committees and commissions and appointed or elected positions in town. Think about how you might like to get involved—either in the nearterm or down-the-road. If there’s a committee you’re interested in, attend their meetings and learn about what they do. Talk to us on the selectboard about how you can get involved, or talk to Laurie in the town office. We need you to help keep democracy strong in Dummerston!
town Memorial Day Program on the traditional Memorial Day of May 30, beginning with the mini band concert at 6:30 by members of the American Legion Post #5 band.
generations come together. Whether it’s talking with an elder about her fondly-remembered college days or admiring a toddler’s collage, our library expands our relationships.
Evening Star Grange #154
Fall, 2012
Fall, 2012
Grange Chefs Supply Overflow Shelter Meals
Lydia Taft Pratt Library
Conservation Commission
Library Is Town’s Social Blender
Seed Availability Reflects Warming Climate
Spring, 2014
Sallie J. May Secretary
In conjunction with the church, the Evening Star Grange has participated in the serving of seven meals at the Brattleboro Overflow Shelter. The clients who come to the shelter for a hot meal have been unanimous in their praise for the meals, and their appreciation of the turkey, meatloaf, roast pork, and meatballs and gravy we have served has meant a lot to everyone who has participated. We truly enjoy serving them, and hope that the Overflow Shelter will find another home for next winter, and that we will once again be allowed to provide a nourishing meal to all who are in need of one. The Grange will once again be sponsoring the
By Catherine O’Callaghan I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library. Jorge Luis Borges As we luxuriate in these fall days, if you haven’t had the pleasure of venturing in to Dummerston’s own Lydia Taft Pratt Library yet, please do. Our library holds open a space in our community for the love of books and learning. A visit to the library offers a moment to catch up with neighbors and meet new friends. People of all ages use the library, which never ceases to remind me of the importance of a community to have a place where different
By John Anderson The great circle of seasons swirls seamlessly over and through all life. No wildlife form, be it flora or fauna, can live separate from—or in defiance of —the climate conditions for which it is genetically adapted. Each has a “zone” it inhabits and we short-lived homo sapiens tend to view those zones as fixed while, in fact, anyone who receives seed catalogs holds hard evidence that we are currently experiencing a rather rapid warming trend. Gardeners can now select seed varieties that would not grow here fifty years ago. Conditions are changing; even our adaptable Continued on next page
Views of Dummerston • 30th Anniversary Issue, 2020 • 7 Selected Excerpts from Articles:
Town Government and Organizations Continued from preceding page and mobile species struggles to adjust as the climate shifts, and all life forms will have to adapt, to relocate or to perish. They have to live in their proper zone. They have to stay in synch with the seasons.
in our houses and on the streets on ‘trash Fall. 2017 days’ will be multiple waste bins, one each for glass-plastic-can, paper-cardboard-magazines, Dummerston Historical Society organic food waste, and the familiar unrecyclable and uncompostable waste, formerly Rubinstein’s Art Journals known as “trash”. On Exhibit
By Muriel Taylor
On this page and preceding, two photos of Slab Hollow, taken in the 1920s, from the spring, 2006 issue.
Summer. 2012
Winter, 2015
Fall, 2012
Windham Solid Waste Management District West Dummerston Volunteer Fire Department
Resource Recapture— “Trash” No More! By Michelle Cherrier,
WSWMD Dummerston Representative Supervisor
The State of Vermont is changing the manner in which we dispose of our solid waste, otherwise and formerly known as trash. A new bill (H.485) has been created, after months of debate in the state senate and house that will change the habit of our disposal behaviors in a phased-in timeline, over the next ten years. …While the district already accepts commercial organic waste (COW), in the future it may be possible that the district will also process/compost the organic waste. It is likely that the most noticeable change
The opening reception of Linda Rubinstein’s Dummerston Art Journals exhibit was well attended on October 1st at the society’s schoolhouse. Warmly received, Linda also presented her remarks at our October quarterly meeting on October 19th. A long-time Dummerston resident and well-known artist, Linda makes one-of-a-kind and multiple hand-made books, figurative fabric sculptures, word-and-image journals, and maps of places that she loves.This exhibit centered around selections from Linda’s image and word journals about life in her chosen home town of 45 years, Dummerston.She recently completed a map, “Ode to Miller Road,” which was exhibited for the first time…
Dummerston Cares
Dummerston Cares Fuel Smoke Alarms Save Lives! Fund By Richard Cogliano,
By Shirley Perkins
It is no secret that smoke alarms save lives, prevent injuries, and minimize property damage by letting you know there is a fire. However, to maximize this benefit, smoke alarms need to be properly installed, maintained, and replaced when needed. Smoke alarms should be installed in the vicinity of sleeping areas and on all levels of a home, including the basement. We recommend that you install smoke alarms in all bedrooms of your home as well as in common areas on each level.
The Dummerston Cares Fuel Fund wants to thank everyone in the community who has supported this fund in any way. The Dummerston Congregational Church and the Evening Star Grange sponsored the fundraising dinner in October, helped by donations of food, cooks and willing volunteers. We send many thanks to those who came to dinner and to those who have made special donations. All of this support makes it possible to continue to help any resident or family in Dummerston who may experience an unexpected one-time fuel emergency this heating season.
Captain
8 • 30th Anniversary Issue, 2020 • Views of Dummerston
The Return of the Views processed. Jack Davidson arranged with Vermont National Bank for the donation of a computer and scanner, which while greatly appreciated, seemed to be somewhat of an incomplete package of equipment. When this was pointed out to Jack, he did further volunteer to include a printer in his offer, though at the same time it is reported that Judy Davidson
the pre-publication Saturday morning work session. Joni Bertram will continue to lay out the views. Kevin Ryan and Randy Hickin By Roger Turner have offered technical advice to make the production of the Views more efficient. Thanks to the leadership of Randy Hickin Judy Davidson, Bess Richardson, and Roger and the hard-working Dummerston CommuTurner will serve as a steering committee to nity Center Board, which includes Lester oversee the production of the Views. Dunklee, Vicki Wood, Jean Momaney, and Thus, the volunteer Ann Davis, the Views has base of the Views has been revitalized. Meetings been greatly expanded, to discuss the problems with less responsibility that caused the Views to for producing the Views cease publication began falling to any one indilast fall. The two biggest vidual. obstacles to continued This issue of the publication were lack of Views includes the both financial support and school newsletter on a people power to actually trial basis. We felt that produce the Views. everybody should know The community center what is happening in board decided to include the school because we the Views within its strucall support the school ture, which provided the through our property benefits of non-profit taxes. In the past, the status to the Views. We school newsletter has also decided to create a been sent home only to more dependable financial the parents of schoolbase by trying to build up children. the number of advertisers We are starting a and by offering sponsorDummerston Calendar. ships to individuals who We are also starting a want to support the Views. couple of new columns. A group of people, Jody Normandeau will including Judy Davidson, welcome new folks Patty Spaulding, Helen to town. We would Kohout, Muriel Fletcher, also like to provide an Al O’Donnell, and Meg opportunity for people Murtha volunteered to to remember a resident solicit advertisers and of town who has died. sponsors. Their efforts are So, we are excited evident in this issue. The that the Views is up and sponsors are people known going again. We would personally by members of like to thank everythe community, or who body who expressed have made significant their concern when the contributions in the past Views stopped printing, to the voluntary subscriptheir encouragement to tion programs. We will The Dummerstoon Historical Society as captured in our summer, 2015 issue. resume publication, and welcome anybody else who would like to be a sponsor, or who found that she was missing a printer, and had their actual voluntary support by getting involved with the new Views. We would would like to advertise in future editions of to arrange to get a new one for herself. Other townspeople have been very forth- like to remember the efforts that were made the Views. In an effort to reduce the need for volunteers coming in offering to help out in other ways. by the previous Views staff, including Mark to type, we decided that articles should pref- Jean Newell will continue to volunteer to Kracum, Jean Newell, and especially Susie erably be submitted on disk or by email. For notify organizations when an edition of the Lapoint, who kept it going when the going those articles which could not be submitted in Views is upcoming. She will receive arti- was really tough. And we’d like to thank either of these ways, we needed a computer cles and do an initial edit. Michelle Cherier, Randy Hickin and the Dummerston Commuset up in the community center, the new home Lisa Spring, and Jane and Doug Grube have nity Center Board, Vermont National Bank, of the Views, where articles could be word offered to word process and edit articles at and the Davidsons for giving us a new life.
This article about the rejuvenation of the Views of Dummerston appeared in the Winter, 1999 issue.
Views of Dummerston • 30th Anniversary Issue, 2020 • 9
Giving Thanks to All of the Views’ Advertisers and Sponsors It has always been our determined policy to make the Views free for all town residents. But it costs money to create the Views. There are no personnel expenses, because it is an entirely volunteer effort. But there are printing and mailing expenses, and recently because of COVID, mailing preparation expenses. In the past couple of years we have purchased a domain name (viewsofdummerston.org) and launched an online edition of the Views. These two decisions have resulted in additional annual expenses. From the beginning, we depended on
situation has been strong. Currently, Sara Ryan has the important job of coordinating our advertisers and sponsors. She makes sure that their ads or sponsorships are included in each issue, and contacts them when they need to renew. We greatly appreciate all of our friends and neighbors who support us financially. Original Advertisers: Walker Farm, VermontNew Hampshire Veterinary Clinic, Vermont Equipment Co., Inc., Dwight Miller Orchards, David S. McBean Investment Broker, A.S. Clark & Sons, Paul E. Normandeau Real Estate, East Dummerston Store/Exit 4 Sunoco,
Farm, Onsite Septic Design, VT-NH Veterinary Clinic, Grace Cottage Family Health & Hospital, The Richards Group, Full Plate Farm, Dummerston Congregational Church, Mindel & Morse Builders, Scott Farm Orchard, Champion Overhead Door Our First Sponsors (Winter, 1999): Gar & Meg Murtha, Jack & Judy Davidson, Roger & Joy Aquadro, Charlie Richardson, Ron & Lynn Wright, Al & Bea Fantini, Paul & Lou Nelsen, Cliff Adler & Lynn Levine, Gordon & Linda Evans, Fred Picker, Allan & Sally Seymour, Milt & Barbara Gilmore, Hisham Kanaan, Sam & Margery Bunker, Brian E. Tyler Company, Shorty & Mary Forrett, Jean Praninskas, Barry & Elsa Waxman, David & Nina Hutchinson, Caroline Ranney, Dave & Lisa Spring, John Sommer, Nick & Joan Thorndike, Dick & Harriet Virkstis, John & Karen Abel
O ur C urrent S pon sors: Gordon & Linda Evans, Heather & Gene Rostov, Akara Draper & Linnie Jones, Elizabeth Catlin & Jared Flynn, Cliff Adler & Lynn Levine, Linda Rood & Roger Turner, Nick & Joan Thorndike, Marcy Hermansader, Lou Nelsen, John & photo by DIANE HEILEMAN Karen Abel, Arnold & Kipling’s former home Naulakha, as pictured in the summer of 2014. Roberta Garland, Orly Munzing & Bob Dunbar, Mark & Lee Tice, advertising, with an additional appeal to Windham Landscape Design and Construction, “individuals for their generosity in finan- Botanical Castings, Bakers Office Center, and Fred Lee, Bill & Kathleen Fleischmann, Carolyn Mayo Brown & Gregory Brown, cial support.” Through the years, additional Richards, Gates, Hoffman & Clay Len Oppenheim, Tonia & Whit Wheeler, efforts to raise money included a one dollar C urrent A dvertisers : Baker Violin Shop, Cheryl Wilfong & Bill McKim, Mary Lou per issue voluntary subscription, and a voluntary annual subscription which began in the Dan Normandeau Realtor, Brattleboro Phar- & Bill Schmidt, Bruce & Catie Berg, Gail macy, Dan Snow Stoneworks, Bill McKim & Lew Sorenson, Barry & Elsa Waxman, Spring of 1996. When the Views suspended publication in Pianist, French & French Attorneys, Patient David & Nina Hutchinson, Kevin & Sara the Spring of 1998, one of the problems was Sympathetic Coaching (Annamarie Pluhar), Ryan, Paul & Jody Normandeau, Cindy & that we couldn’t meet our expenses. When we Robert E. Dunklee & Sons, Brunelle & Sons John Wilcox, Gincy Bunker, Michelle Cherresumed publication, we decided to formalize a Construction, Vermont Insight Meditation rier & Philip Goepp, Eleanora Patterson & sponsorship program in an attempt to increase Center, Landmark Trust (Naulakha), Finish- Gordon Faison, Alvino & Bea Fantini, Allan our revenue. Dummerstonians responded very line Construction, Mastaler Cleaning Services, & Sally Seymour, Milt & Barbara Gilmore, enthusiastically to this opportunity to support Southern Vermont Painting & Restoration, Rip Lhamon & Fita Ferguson, Ron & Jo-Ann Homestead Heating and Plumbing, Mark’s Tier, Tim Knapp & John Bouffard, Meg the Views. In recent years, we have had a great group Place Sharpening, JB Auto, Glabach Land Murtha, Jack & Judy Davidson, Tom Zopf, of sponsors and advertisers, and our financial Management, Fast Eddie’s Restaurant, Walker Winifred Vogt, Joe & Anne Little
10 • 30th Anniversary Issue, 2020 • Views of Dummerston
This Dummerston Life Spring, 1997
Vernal Pools By Lynn Levine
favorite color. So what if I didn’t like black plastic seats! It was a convertible, the top was down, and I was ready to try out that line of credit just established at my credit union. And besides, I’d known the car salesman for years, had baby-sat his kids, and I knew he would treat me right and give me a really sweet deal! But the practical side of me said, “Check it out,” and so I did. Off I went to see my girlfriend’s brother-in-law, the “best mechanic
On rainy mid-spring nights a silent group of rarely seen animals creep along the moist leaves for their annual reunion. They travel for one night looking for partners to mate with. They are brown, blue, yellow/black, and green. They try to find the vernal pool, a depression filled with water in the spring, that they were born in. These fauna are amphibians that spend most of their life on or below the forest floor, but return to water to meet and reproduce. They are wood frogs, and three kinds of salamanders; spotted, Jefferson, and bluespotted salamanders. They depend on vernal pools to reproduce since fish cannot live in these temporary water bodies. Vernal pools are temporary bodies of water that lack permanent aboveground inlets or outlets and provide critical breeding habitat for some amphibian species and several species of fairy shrimp. Most vernal pools in Vermont are filled by spring rains and snow melt and dry up during the Pies await their happy end in this photo taken for the fall, 2012 issue. summer…. The Dummerston Conservation Commis- in town.” He put the car up on the lift, sion would like to locate these vernal pools checked it over, gave me a long look and in Dummerston. If you know of a deep pool said, “You really want this, huh?”, then and are wondering if it is a vernal pool, call proceeded to find a few minor problems, Lynn Levine. She will make sure it is checked which he insisted the car dealership should out and added to our list of vernal pools in rectify, pointed out the places where the Dummerston. body had started to rust, wished me luck and asked for a ride some day! It was a real spring and summer; my little Summer, 2000 “Cuda” and I covered all the roads around town, and whipped up and down the interMy First Set of Wheels state on the weekends visiting all my friends. (1965 Plymouth Barracuda) I gave the mechanic his ride, and often stopped in for gas and oil, just because he By Sallie May had been so nice. Then, one morning in early October, a spider It looked like a dream come true, sitting and the town bus caused the sudden demise of there in the parking lot of the local Ford my little yellow convertible. I still have my garage, and in my heart I knew it was the memories of that neat little car, a scar on my car for me. So what if yellow wasn’t my chin, and oh yes—I married that mechanic!
Spring, 2014
David Williams Celebrates 100 Years! By Joyce Marcel …So they found their beautiful old home (on Park Laughton Road), which comes with a barn and 10 acres. They moved here in 1978. “And here we are, mud season after mud season,” Betty said. …David initially had some ideas about farming his property. “Unfortunately I didn’t get here soon enough to get a grip on farming,” he said. “We had some farming activities with the property, though. That field across the road, which is ours, had strawberries. It was Don Hazleton’s father, Merton, who grew them. And on alternate years, he raised potatoes.” …David said it’s hard to realize that he’s 100 years old. “I wish I had kept a diary,” he said. “How do you tell the youngsters to keep a diary? You’ll appreciate it later on.” …The couple enjoy living in Dummerston. “Dummerston seems to be behaving pretty well,” David said. “Can’t think of anything I’d like them to improve.” Summer, 2008
The Zucchini Problem By Roger Turner …So, that moves us along to the group that have found creative ways of disposing of their surplus. Alex and Jerilyn Wilson roam parking lots in Brattleboro with bags of zucchini looking for unlocked cars. “That’s why we keep our cars locked in Brattleboro during zucchini season,” Alex explained. When I confirmed my intent to publish this strategy and questioned whether he was concerned about legal repercussions, he quickly replied, “There’s nothing illegal about giving stuff away.” Joe and Debbie Cook use a variation of the Wilson strategy by surreptitiously slipping zucchini into the Continued on page 12
Views of Dummerston • 30th Anniversary Issue, 2020 • 11 Selected Excerpts from Articles:
Dummerston School Contiued from page 5 for me here at the school and one thing that I can most definitely say is that this school is the best school I have ever attended, and believe me, I have attended quite few of them including some home schooling, but let’s not talk about that with my parents in the room.” The delivery was perfect, and Emilio earned all the laughter he received. From here, Emilio turned, as teachers had done before him, to genuinely thank the teachers he’d had, from “specials” teachers such as art and physical education, to core instruction providers anchoring middle school, to Ms. Ratti, Emilio modeled the very wise and thoughtful reflections that teachers provided to describe students. For me, it embodied why I believe in our small school, and why I want to see our small school district thrive. . .
Winter, 2008 Dummerston School Student Writing
Fishing With My Dad By Luke Newell 3rd Grade
Do you like to freeze your hands off just to catch a fish? Last winter my dad took me ice fishing on the Retreat Meadows. It was an amazing day and my hands got cold. First Dad pulled the shanty on the ice with his four-wheeler. When he was working on setting up the shanty he got stuck on the ice. Then we drilled 16 holes in the ice. It was as easy as eating an apple. Then we put a tip-up in each hole so when a fish is on the line a flag will go up. I was thinking, “I hope I catch something!”
Next my dad and I went to his friend’s ice shanty to see his Northern Pike. It was slippery and shiny. I thought, “Holy Cow!” because I wanted to catch one too. Then my dad and I went to our shanty to see if there was a fish on the line, but there wasn’t. After a while, I went in the shanty and my dad drilled a hole so I could fish in the shanty. I caught a pumpkin seed. My dad caught a really big fish that was as heavy as my dog! At the end of the day we had to check in and weigh and measure the fish to see if we had won something! I won a new tip-up, a bucket to hold minnows, and a net to scoop them out. I am going to the Retreat Meadow Fishing Derby again because it was so much fun. If you go to an ice fishing derby, you might want to take someone that you know has experience. You will love it!
Personal by student Joanna Brown appeared in our spring, 2009 issue
12 • 30th Anniversary Issue, 2020 • Views of Dummerston
This Dummerston Life Continued from page 10 cars of people who come to visit. In a reverse of this strategy, Florence Howe says she’s heard of people who put bags of zucchini in the back seats of their cars parked with the windows down, hoping somebody will steal the bag thinking there’s something good inside, “but it’s just zucchini.” The Cooks also chuck their surplus into their sheeps’ pen and had a golden retriever that would give up her usual walkaround-the-yard-with-three-tennis-balls-inthe-mouth-at-once trick if there was a big zucchini available. Jean Momaney noted that her chickens will eat zucchini “even when they’re as big as lawn mowers.” …There was also a minor theme of
Ou
Winter, 1996
Snowplowing By Roger Turner
e
th o t s
k
an h t r
violence in the disposal strategies. I think of Lester Dunklee as a mild-mannered guy, but he confessed to me, “There are a few people I’d like to throw a big zucchini at.” Jean Momaney, a woman who owns and knows how to use guns, said, “I could use a big zucchini as a weapon— like a baseball bat. If somebody knocked on the door and I didn’t know them and I was standing there with a giant zucchini—I don’t think they’d mess with me.”
ad o R
!
w Cre
A town plow tackles Dutton Farm Road as pictured in our winter, 2011 issue.
…Wayne was driving the small truck in order to do the jobs which were tough for the big trucks. “On some of the narrow, winding roads, the big trucks will chatter and buck, and it’s rough on them,” Wayne explained. “We can also change the blade to push right or left on the small trucks, which is also an advantage on the narrower roads. Using the smaller trucks for this kind of road, it saves on breakdowns on the big trucks, which saves money on repairs.” He told me this as we work our way up into the hills, plowing an increasingly narrow road. … As mailboxes loom up, the speed of the truck needs to be adjusted so the arc of snow does not make a direct hit on the mailbox. Wayne told about passing the Murtha’s house late one fall, and observing Gar Murtha putting up a
brand new mailbox on a nice, stout, pressuretreated post with side braces. They waved, and Wayne smiled. That winter, Wayne was out plowing a heavy snow, and was approaching the Murthas’ new mailbox. He gauged the toss of the snow and adjusted his speed, but just before getting to the mailbox, hit a heavy dump of snow which slowed the truck, and caused the snow pitching off the blade to hit the new mailbox square-on, which knocked it right over. “Even though you try to avoid them, these things happen,” chuckled Wayne. SPRING, 2003
Two Poems by Victor Burdo In memory of two neighbors lost to a house fire.
Gary Loved to Talk By chance we’d meet on the road. You loved to talk and tell me of your past Triumphs, trials and tribulations. Rumble and tumble, what a life you’ve had. You talked, I listened, of loyalties past. Until finally I took my leave. You escaped the flames, but went back in And up, to carry Frankie down with you, To find the Lord of loyalty and love Waiting to embrace you both.
Frankie, The Storyteller “Come on in Frankie, a cup of tea?” “Just honey thank you.” Frankie liked to visit neighbors on occasion, And say with a chuckle, “I’m going to shovel all my snow And bring it to your yard.” Or, “Have you had enough rain? You can have some of mine.” Then It was time to tell a story or two, that would take at least a half an hour. Slowly told, with pauses and words interwoven that made the tale fly by. I’ll miss the knock on our door, and his greeting, “Is it cold enough?” or “Warm enough for you today?” Come on in Frankie.
Views of Dummerston • 30th Anniversary Issue, 2020 • 13
How An Issue of the Views Gets Created By Linda Rood
Roger
Linda
Lee
Four times a year, the Views of Dummerston is produced by our volunteer steering committee and our reliable group of correspondents. This is how it works: It starts with a planning meeting attended by our steering committee which currently consists of Sara Ryan, Michelle Cherrier, Lee Ives Tice, Fred Lee, Linda Rood, and Roger Turner. We set meeting times and deadlines for future issues, review the last issue for successes and failures, and brainstorm possible topics for articles in the next Views. These days, we meet by Zoom. This is okay but I think we all miss the chance to get together, enjoy some cheer and a little wine. About a month ahead of the deadline, the call to the correspondents goes out from Linda Rood, to remind them of the deadline date for the upcoming issue. As that time approaches, the articles start to arrive in our inbox. For the winter issue, for example, which comes out before town meeting, the deadline is about midway through January. That may seem early for an edition that’s not going to be mailed until late February, but you will understand when you see what happens next. Do all the articles arrive on time? Mostly. But sometimes we have to allow for delays. For the winter issue, we need candidates’ statements for the town meeting elections. Petitions aren’t due until late January, so we often have to wait on some of those statements. Or, maybe somebody needs to make corrections to their article after it’s been submitted, or the selectboard is waiting to get some information before they can send their article in. Things like that. Next, a day or so after the deadline, Michelle Cherrier collects all the articles that have been sent to us and makes sure they are properly formatted in MS Word, then sends the batch of them to Roger Turner to be edited. This takes a week or two by the time they are all finished. Roger creates an “article chart” which lists all the articles and photos that should be included in the new issue. This chart and the edited articles are then sent to Fred Lee, the expert who does the layout. Sara Ryan has also supplied him with the current list of ads and sponsors, and Fred takes the next two weekends to compose the Views. Once Fred has the issue put together, in normal times, the steering committee, plus Bob Sherwood, master proofreader, meets at Fred’s house, where we sit around the dining table and proof the Views, trying to make sure all the dates are correct, the headlines match the articles, the names are spelled correctly, and so on. When we find things that need to be corrected, Fred makes the changes directly into the document. This usually takes a couple of hours. These days, however, because of COVID, we haven’t been able to meet in person. Instead, each of us takes a few pages, does the proofing at home, sends the corrections to Fred and Roger via email, and Fred then sends the corrected document to Roger, who makes sure all the corrections were made, and gives it one more going over. This can all take about a week and can be confusing, but it works. Fred then sends the electronic file of the Views to the C&S print shop for printing and to Kevin Ryan, who puts it on our website for our online subscribers (and the whole world for that matter). It takes a week or so to be printed. Again, in normal times, Lee Tice would organize our corps of folders, who would gather at the community center in West Dummerston for a couple of hours on an evening for folding, taping, and labeling the Views to be mailed. This is a lot of fun, and includes delicious baked treats, and takes a couple of hours. We’re always looking for volunteers to help with this. These days, though, we can’t gather in person, sadly, so we have relied on C&S to fold and tape them at an additional expense. Then they go to the Ives/Tice family, who put on the labels, and Lee Tice takes them to the Post Office. Finally, your copy of the Views shows up in your mailbox. And then it’s time to start planning again!
Fred
Sara
Michelle
14 • 30th Anniversary Issue, 2020 • Views of Dummerston
Everyone has an Opinion About the Views The winter of 1999 saw the Views return. I started by writing a new column called “Welcome New Neighbors”. It was easy in those days to find new residents to talk with because everyone had a landline. Today you can’t find our new neighbor’s telephone numbers. I soon became a member of the steering committee and worked putting the issues together as well as being part of the folding group until retiring after the fall issue of 2015, when I was preparing to get my second artificial knee. My husband, Paul and I still participate in the folding process or did until Covid hit. And we are still sponsors of the Views. The group of neighbors who still put the Views out four times a year are great friends and I still miss working with them. They Sallie May for are a fun group. I The Dummerston School, as captured by Roger Turner for the winter, 2016 issue. the Grange do look forward to getting and reading Dummerston Listers Prospect Hill committee the latest issues, but it is time for others to help The Town of Dummerston listers want to keep it alive, as it is a great community asset The Views of Dummerston is a wonderful congratulate the Views on their 30th anniver- that keeps us well informed and connected. asset to the Town for many reasons. When I sary. We want to thank the Views for their Thank you Views Steering Committee was a Trustee for Prospect Hill I tried to have service to the town in being a forum to provide an article in every issue to keep town residents Jody Normandeau informed about our activities. The Views is news of town events and a way for the various town boards, and particularly the Listers, to the only means that residents have of staying Valued Neighbors current. The back cover with important phone keep people informed of current activities. We have come to depend of the Views as an Thank you for asking our viewnumbers and upcoming events is extremely important part of fulfilling our responsibilities. p o int on the Views of Dummerston. helpful. Thanks to all the volunteers that make Here’s hoping for many more years of the We always looked forward to receiving our the Views happen. Views. copy of the Views of Dummerston. The inforMary Lou Schmidt Thank you from the Listers. mation was so informative and a wonderful cross section of Dummerston news. You could Valued neighbors tell by the articles the pride that the folks of Former Views Worker Bee Dummerston have. Thank God for the Views. Thank God for Well, I have always loved getting the Views Dummerston. Thank God for Vermont. Jo-Ann Tier four times a year to help keep me up to date Joyce Marcel and Randy Holhut of the comings and goings in Dummerston. But when the spring, 1998 issue arrived Dummerston Historical valued neighbors announcing the end of the Views, I decided Society To the Views team from Lou Nelsen, to become part of the group trying to keep 30 years? Really? Put in historical perspecCongratulations on reaching a newsworthy it alive. I believe my good friend and first tive, as our historical society is wont to do, 30 milestone for providing us with an upbeat, woman Dummerston Select Board member, years is a trifle, a blur, a tiny fragment of time. colorful, and welcome source of keeping up Judy Davidson, had something to do with Over in a blink! From the vantage point of with the people and events of Dummerston. getting me involved. the Views organizers and workers, however, Continued on next page It’s a good way for us to keep in touch with Congratulations!! That’s a long time for people, even more welcome in this year of fewer in-person times to share news. May we anything to be in business these days!! On behalf of the grange, I would just say all be well and keep in touch. My thanks for that the grange is grateful to be able to use a good job well done. the Views as a means of letting people know Lou Nelsen that we are in town, accessible, and not a great “mystery” organization, but are, in fact, open and available to join if you are interested. Through the Views we are able to inform everyone (almost) in town of our activities, fundraising events, and even occasionally educate the public about things of timely local interest. We hope that the Views continues to remain free and available both on line and in printed form for many years to come.
Evening Star Grange
Views of Dummerston • 30th Anniversary Issue, 2020 • 15
Everyone has an Opinion About the Views a sense of community and belonging becomes Welcome Wagon Lady,” Susan Dunnington Continued from preceding page 30 years represent many hours of writing, increasingly important. How fortunate we and Jody Normandeau were editors of this editing, printing, folding and mailing . . . are to live in Dummerston, with its natural column. It was a real privilege to meet all the while taking notice of gradual, incre- beauty, rich history and small-town neighbor- newcomers, to hear their excitement about being contacted and welcomed mental growth. We salute you to town, and to answer questions all and offer our gratitude. that they might have. Those The Dummerston Historical who were leaving Dummerston Society has been honored to be were also either interviewed or able to inform our town about at least listed. For the most part our own growth and develtheir reasons for leaving were opment by posting articles due to relocating elsewhere to included in the Views as early be closer to family or due to as the winter edition of 1991, illness. written by Mary Lou Carpenter, In 2011, it became more and then the secretary of the society. more difficult to obtain phone Many other board members numbers for new residents; have contributed articles in many had only cell numbers the years since, including Sue or non-published landline Miller, Ernie Clark, Chuck numbers, and more and more Fish, Jody Normandeau, Cindy persons were concerned about Wilcox, Sallie May, and Gail privacy issues, particularly in Sorenson. sharing info about their location As to 30 years of publishing children (names, ages). I began the Views, Chuck Fish just identifying the adults who comments: “Many thanks to had moved into Dummerston, all who have worked on the sometimes with street names Views all those years. A town (but not the number), sometimes is a community only when it is just neighborhoods, and would brought together by common indicate number of children (if interests. It has, for example, any) but no other personal idengiven the historical society tifiers. Everyone I spoke with much appreciated space to was friendly and receptive, but report on its activities.” many did not want info shared Sallie May also offers: with the greater population. So I “The Views presents a way to am sorry to say that was the end communicate directly with all of “Comings & Goings.” (or almost all) of the townsObtaining vital statistics from people in Dummerston, those our town clerk, I also share in who are out and about all of the the Views the “Births and Passtime and also those who rarely ings” of Dummerston residents. leave their homes, especially As you have all noticed, we have in light of a pandemic. It is a many more passings than births, way for the older folks to keep a sign of Vermont’s aging poputrack of what is going on within Our internationally-renowned Apple Pie Festival in October, 2013.. lation. It is overwhelming at the town, especially those folks who are unable or unwilling to use or have a liness. The Dummerston Historical Society is the end of each year as I review the total computer. It is great that the Views offers an proud to be a part of the whole and wishes list of passings, the individuals who have contributed so much to the town for many electronic version (like most papers nowa- the Views continued success. days) but it is also wonderful that it comes in Muriel Taylor, President years who are no longer with us. Most of you will have known many of the individuals, if printed form as well. Thanks for keeping us not personally, at least you will recognize so well informed, and I hope you are around valued neighbors the names and perhaps their contributions for another 30 years.” From fall, 2003 until winter, 2011, I had the through the church, grange, town boards and Gail Sorenson reminds us that events that are reported on in the Views become pleasure of being the editor of the no longer committees and various organizations. Being part of Dummerston history. The historical published “Comings and Goings” column in the small community that Dummerston is, we society has copies of all previous issues and which I would interview either in person or miss each of these individuals and the active welcomes you to visit the historical society on the phone new Dummerston residents to part they each played in making Dummerston to browse through older copies to learn more find out a bit about them, what brought them what it is. It is a privilege to be a contributor to Dummerston and to share information and reader of the Views! about Dummerston people and history. As life in our world becomes more complex, about our town. Prior to me being “the local Gail Sorenson
16 • 30th Anniversary Issue, 2020 • Views of Dummerston
Everyone has an Opinion About the Views That was almost fifteen years ago. Close to 60 issues. I still advocate for the natural world. I still promote conservation commission initiatives. It still amuses me when a fellow Dummerstonian comments—hopefully favorably—on anything I’ve written, but I find that I now avidly read the submission of
the church, the road crew, Dummerston Cares, the historical society, the school, any of the When I received the request for a submistown’s boards, committees or commissions sion to a special 30th anniversary issue of etc, etc, etc, it is an introduction to people the Views of Dummerston, which included I might never personally encounter but who suggested approaches such as “What does are, unmistakably, honest advocates for some the Views mean to our sense of community?” thing or things that they believe in as strongly and “Does the Views live up to the intent as I believe in the work of the original editor of the conservation to promote cooperacommission. And I tion and understanding am a long-time Ccontoward creating a more servation commisideal Dummerston?”, sion member and a I was hesitant. In fact, firm believer in the I contacted Conserc∆ommission’s work. vation Commission Ultimately, I chairwoman Chriscan only speak for tine Goepp hinting, I myself. The quesguess too subtly, that tions posed by the she might delegate submission request responsibility for the are highly subjective. commission’s submisThey require personal sion elsewhere. No answers, or so it seems dice. to me. And, personThis left me at a ally, I get a great deal loss. I have done of comfort and a great nature/conservation sense of community commission articles from all of the artifor the Views since the cles that appear in winter, ’05 issue. They the Views. That many have been an eclectic people unselfishly mix of commission giving of their time, news, book reviews and often their money, and nature observaand reporting quartions. There were terly on their activities never any curbs or is inspirational. That restrictions imposed. I many people from all wrote ‘in the moment.’ walks of life honestly It seemed that some and unselfishly advointrospection was now cating for the things in order. Some soul they believe in, and searching. Some— working toward their dare I say it—thought. goals, seems to me to The following are be irrefutable proof the results of my of a healthy inclumusings: I am an old sive community. And carpenter and not a for me the Views is writer, so my first a key linkage to that reaction many years A view from Dummerston, courtesy of Carolyn Mayo-Brown. The chap pictured is woodsman community. Richard Fletcher, the spot is along the Missing Links Trail. ago to writing for the Views was simply a bit John Anderson of pride in seeing my words in print and some others. I know what the conservation commismild amusement that anyone might actually sion is doing. I remember what I’ve written valued neighbors want to read anything I wrote. Of course, I also and submitted. I want to know what other I sent a few words of appreciation via the wanted to make the best case I could for the contributors are doing and what they advocate Dummerston Historical Society letter, but conservation commission initiatives, promote for. I want to understand their initiatives. And would add that not only does the Views help commission programs and presentations and there are many contributors and many worthy to bring us together, it is a pleasure to read and advocate for the natural world in the strongest causes. I admire volunteerism and I admire the look at—engagingly written, carefully edited, way possible. I was focused on my interests and attractively designed, a professional job. and saw mostly the utility of the publication. holders of town offices. When I read about the fire department, the grange, the library, Chuck Fish
Conservation committee
Views of Dummerston • 30th Anniversary Issue, 2020 • 17
Everyone has an Opinion About the Views valued neighbors First of all I want to thank all those on the steering committee who work on the quarterly publication of the Views, and also Mary Lou McBean as founder, and everyone else who helped make the Views the successful town newsletter it has been over the past 30 years. I really like the spotlight that each edition of the Views puts on happenings in town government, the school, and what organizations like the library, historical society, grange, Dummerston Cares, among others, are doing for townspeople. These articles, supplemented with lead pieces and photos like those in the current issue Summer, 1993
on the Castine’s Christmas lights and the new Missing Link trail now being created, feature present town highlights of interest. All together, the articles and photos provide a view into what gives Dummerston its
unique identity as a community. In the Views we read and learn about what makes Dummerton Dummerston, a community of some 2,000 people, connected with one another in myriad ways. Let’s keep the Views coming for the next 30 years! Bill Schmidt
Dummerston Selectboard
The new West Dummerston Volunteer Fire Department firehouse in the Center, soon after completion in the fall of 2017
Selectmen’s Activities By Jennifer Kracum
Editor’s Note: The first article reporting on the activities of the selectboard was actually written by Jennifer Kracum, who was covering the selectboard for the Views, and was not a member of the selectboard. For many years since, a member of the selectboard has written the article. This first article about the selectboard was printed in the third year of the Views.
Meeting on a bi-weekly schedule during the summer months, the Dummerston Board of Selectmen took action on several new items in addition to their normal routine business and the more well-known issues in which the town is currently involved. Working in conjunction with the Office of Emergency Management, selectman recently installed a facsimile machine at the town office. The fax machine has already proved to be an important time saving cool, enabling town and state officials to send and/or receive time–sensitive information instantaneously rather than having to make a trip by car, or wait for the information to be transmitted through the mail, which can often take several days.
With the assistance of the Windham Regional Commission, the town of Dummerston, together with the towns of Newfane and Putney, submitted an application for a project development grant through the Vermont Community Development program. Under the program, each participating town would receive funds in amounts to be determined. The funds could then be loaned to eligible individuals, such as those on fixed incomes, for the purpose of assisting them in restoring their “substandard” home to HUD standards. Examples of problems which might characterize a home as being “substandard” are failed septic systems or water wells, roof leaks, severe foundation cracks, or electrical, heating or plumbing problems. The WRC is currently in the process of conducting a survey to assess the attitudes, views and housing needs of the community, as well as those of the towns of Newfane and Putney. The results of the survey will be compiled, and a report to be prepared and presented to the selectmen is expected sometime in October. At that time, based on the findings of the survey, the town will determine its interest in pursuing the program, and
For your 30th anniversary issue we on the selectboard ask that you open up the time capsule and reprint the selectboard article from the very first issue of the Views of Dummerston. We are hoping that will provide a glimpse into what the selectboard was dealing with thirty years ago. Thanks and take care!
if so, whether to pursue it independently or as a consortium with the other towns. Should Dummerston elect to continue to participate in the program, the selectman would create a committee to review applications, determine eligibility, and administer the grant funds. Other business which the selectman addressed over the past several months included the authorization of repairs to the drainage system at the town garage and the replacement of the 1981 Ford V-body sanding truck with a 1993 Mac dump truck. Delivery of the new vehicle is expected sometime in September or early October. The town garage now is in the process of installing a computerized highway maintenance system. An old computer, formerly kept in the town clerk’s office, was set up at the town garage and is being loaded with “Municipal Equipment Maintenance Systems” software. Use of the system will, among other things, aid the department in the preparation of its budgets and will help to keep track of inventory, costs, road conditions and the scheduling of vehicle preventative maintenance.
18 • 30th Anniversary Issue, 2020 • Views of Dummerston PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Mailed From Zip Code 05346 Permit No. 61
change Service REquested
Town Meeting 2017
Attendees at Town Meeting in March of 2017