The George H. Stowell Library, this place matters

My relationship with the Stowell library began in high school, when I visited the historical room to browse the rare books. I recall the sights and sounds of the place from the cracking of the screen door as it slammed behind me and the beautiful tall wood columns greeting me as I entered the reading room. The fireplace and the tall ceilings throughout edged with an elaborate cornice. Of course, libraries have books from the latest novels to classics from days gone by.

Little did I know that this first visit would turn into a 10-year volunteer opportunity that ultimately launched my museum curatorial career. In the years I volunteered at the Stowell Library, I organized the historical room, installed small exhibitions, and welcomed visitors interested in Cornish history. First under the leadership of Norma LaClair and then Nancy Newbold, the library grew as a vital part of the community. I recall Nancy bringing the latest best sellers and always finding a moment to chat with someone about favorite authors or catching up on the latest goings-on. Children were always part of the picture, and they would sit and listen to a book reading or play hide and seek among the stacks.

I think this old building, with its classical touches and beautiful brick work, is a source of inspiration, though we can take the surroundings for granted while performing our daily routines. Historic buildings matter as a pride of place to any community. The Stowell Library has a deep history to tell. Its first librarian way back in 1911, Elizabeth Barrett, created children’s programs about international travel, music appreciation and art.

Can this classical temple continue to be used in the 21st century? Absolutely! A sympathetically designed small addition would bring the 1911 building into the modern era. I ask Cornish residents to carefully consider its removal to another site. I think the present purpose designed and built library generously given by a benefactor should remain where it is and continue to be a source of community pride.

Patrick Sheary

Washington, D.C

Patrick Sheary is a
librarian at the National Democratic Institute and
a curator of furnishings and historic interiors at Daughters of the American Revolution Museum in Washington, D.C.

Overturn the South Royalton ATV ordinance

I am writing to urge the voters of South Royalton to disapprove the recently adopted ordinance that authorizes ATVs to use the glorious back roads of our town. The board needs to think further and deeper about what it is doing: Where is the public safety and the public welfare? Some of our roads simply are not suitable for them. The board needs to make individual, road-by-road; speed-by-speed decisions.

I will address only the part of the proposal that I know intimately. Gee Hill is likely the most dangerous road in the town of Royalton. The ordinance would allow ATVs to go from Route 14 — the bottom of the hill — up the steep (18% grade) and twisting Gee Hill. There is no line of sight on portions of it, let alone an adequate one. Cars could not see an approaching ATV nor the other way around. One side of the road is a cliff — what happens if one of these things swerves to miss a car coming down the hill; it won’t be pleasant. There is a short straightaway at the immediate top of the hill but a sharp curve turns to the right followed shortly by a sharp curve to the left. It is a classic S curve. There have been multiple auto accidents precisely due to excessive speed and an inability to see oncoming traffic.

Riding an ATV on this road would be safe if — but only if — the speed is carefully limited. Yet the ordinance treats all roads the same. If the town is to permit them, it needs to also limit the particular roads where they may ride and the speed at which they travel. The ordinance is an invitation to a disaster that we have seen play recently until particular action was taken to address it.

I urge people to vote “yes” to overturn the ordinance. Registered voters can vote by Australian ballot by contacting the town clerk: TownClerk@royaltonvt.com.

Philip J. Harter

South Royalton

Enough with this guy

I am sure that I’m not the only Valley News reader who is sick of seeing William Wittik’s name yet again at the end of a letter to Forum, often twice within a single month.

To single out one recent letter, criticizing Dartmouth for not including more spirituality in its curriculum (“Colleges fail on moral instruction,” Jan. 9), Wittik highlighted that old bugaboo introduced by the religious and Republican right wingers 30 years ago: secular humanism. I remember wondering at the time why on earth there was a campaign going on to demonize such positive concepts as “humanism,” or “secular,” and why there didn’t seem to be a vigorous rebuttal in the media to such nonsense.

This was the 20th century, after all, I thought to myself then. The Age of Enlightenment, or Age of Reason, was flourishing in the 18th century, the time of the founding of the United States of America, many of whose Founding Fathers, like Thomas Jefferson, had been proponents of its emphasis on intellectual and scientific exploration and rejection of superstition and religious bigotry.

Now it’s the 21st century, and religious cultists are still trying to undo the intellectual and philosophical progress of the past 300 years. These intolerant fanatics seem not to understand the wisdom of the proverb, “Live and let live.” They’re not satisfied with having the freedom to believe what they do but insist upon everyone else believing what they do, too.

Alice Morrison

Newbury, Vt.

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