Maintenance of the recreation park and playground is a joint co-operative effort between the non-profit group and the town. The group has to raise over $2,000 a year to pay the liability and property insurance in order for the park to continue to be kept open to the public. By a margin of more than 2 to 1, 2012 Town Meeting voters excused the group from having to pay taxes on the property (the land had been tax-free for over 100 years when it was school property).
At first, the group was hoping their main source of income would come from the sale of memberships in the organization. But only about 40 memberships have been sold. So the group puts a lot of time and effort into putting together an annual spring book sale and 3 tag sales from July to October to raise the necessary funds. The sales have proved popular with bargain hunters and many people have been generous about donating used items for the sales.
Officers and Trustees were elected to 2 year terms at last year's annual meeting. Virginia (Jewell) Ricker is the President, William C. Hannah is Vice-President. James Soucy is the Treasurer and Edwin Fransen is Secretary. The Society's registered agent is Jean Willard.
The main topic of discussion at this year's annual meeting was how to attract more paying members and volunteers to work at our fundraising events. Also discussed was the possibility of adding a picnic shelter to the park, perhaps as a volunteer project by an Eagle scout or the Tech Center's carpentry students.
The North School Preservation Society hopes one day to restore the two story schoolhouse for use as a community center. Besides having several classrooms, there is an auditorium with stage in good condition and the remains of a cafeteria in the basement. But the cost of restoring and bringing the long neglected building up to code would be too much to expect it to be funded by local donations. The Society will have to win large grants if it is going to accomplish its ultimate goals.
The annual meeting was held in the ice skaters warming "hut". The building is available year round for private parties and meetings for a free will donation. The 30x30 cement block building has restrooms, a wood stove for heat and a food preparation counter with microwave oven. It was built about 20 years ago with volunteer labor and donated materials after villagers became outraged over being offered the old rotting wood warming hut at the Commons park which had been declared unsafe for Springfield children. North Springfield ended up with a better and more permanent warming hut than the replacement wooden hut built at the Commons.
2015 VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
We are seeking new volunteers to help with one or more of our four Saturday events this year. We don't put any pressure on our volunteers, all are free to choose whatever amount of spare time they wish to give. Even a single hour is fine.
Other ways to help out include contributing food for the refreshment table -- home baked treats, fruit, cheese, crackers, etc. Also seeking donations of books, plants and good used merchandise for our fundraising sales. Most anything but clothing and heavy furniture and appliances.
Also looking for volunteers with experience with applying for grants and creative writing talent to contribute to our newsletter.
We would like to set up one classroom as a museum showing how it looked back in the middle of the 20th century. We are looking for donations of old desks, school books, and any other elementary school related memorabilia that might fit with the period. Also copies of old photos taken at North School and write-ups of your North School memories would be much appreciated.
Email us at ed44vt@gmail.com or call Jean Willard at 886-2730.
Mailing Address: NSPS, PO Box 114, North Springfield, Vt. 05150
Website: http://nsps.awardspace.us
North School Preservation Society
Board of Directors
2014
President: Virginia Jewell Ricker
Vice-President: William C. Hannah
Treasurer: James Soucy
Secretary: Edwin Fransen
Resident Agent: Jean M. Willard
Trustees:
Allen "Chip" Woods, Margery Burbank, Andrea Cook
Volunteers:
Earl Davis Jr., Christy Gilchrist, Maurice Gilchrist, Marion Harlow, Francine Provost
The North School Preservation Society held its fourth annual meeting since taking over ownership of the 5.5 acre North School property in November 2011. Springfield Town Parks & Rec Director Andy Bladyka was also in attendence. Maintenance of the recreation park and playground is a joint co-operative effort between the non-profit group and the town. The group has to raise over $2,000 a year to pay the liability and property insurance in order for the park to continue to be kept open to the public. By a margin of more than 2 to 1, 2012 Town Meeting voters excused the group from having to pay taxes on the property (the land had been tax-free for over 100 years when it was school property). At first, the group was hoping their main source of income would come from the sale of memberships in the organization. But only about 40 memberships have been sold. So the group puts a lot of time and effort into an annual spring book sale and 3 tag sales from July to October to raise the necessary funds. The sales have proved popular with bargain hunters and many people have been generous about donating used items for the sales. Officers and Trustees were elected to 2 year terms at last year's annual meeting. Virginia (Jewell) Ricker is the President, William C. Hannah is Vice-President. James Soucy is the Treasurer and Edwin Fransen is Secretary. The Society's registered agent is Jean Willard. The main topic of discussion at this year's annual meeting was how to attract more paying members and volunteers to work at our fundraising events. Also discussed was the possibility of adding a picnic shelter to the park, perhaps as a volunteer project by an Eagle scout or the Tech Center's carpentry students. The North School Preservation Society hopes one day to restore the two story schoolhouse to be used as a community center. Besides having several classrooms, there is an auditorium with stage in good condition and the remains of a cafeteria in the basement. But the cost of restoring and bringing the long neglected building up to code would be too much to expect it to be funded by local donations. The Society will have to win large grants if it is going to accomplish its ultimate goals. The annual meeting was held in the ice skaters warming "hut". The building is available year round for private parties and meetings for a free will donation. The 30x30 cement block building has restrooms, a wood stove for heat and a food preparation counter with microwave oven. It was built about 20 years ago with volunteer labor and donated materials after villagers became outraged over being offered the old rotting wood warming hut at the Commons park which had been declared unsafe for Springfield children. North Springfield ended up with a better warming hut than the replacement wooden hut built at the Commons. The 2014 Annual Meeting under way. (Click on photo to enlarge) 2015 VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES We are seeking new volunteers to help with one or more of our 4 Saturday events this year. We don't put any pressure on our volunteers, all are free to choose whatever amount of spare time they wish to give. Even a single hour is fine. Other ways to help out include contributing food for the refreshment table -- home baked treats, fruit, cheese, crackers, etc. Also seeking donations of books, plants and good used merchandise for our fundraising sales. Most anything but clothing and heavy furniture and appliances. Also looking for volunteers with experience with applying for grants and creative writing talent to contribute to our newsletter. We would like to set up one classroom as a museum showing how it looked back in the middle of the 20th century. We are looking for donations of old desks, school books, and any other elementary school related memorabilia that might fit with the period. Also copies of old photos taken at North School and write-ups of your North School memories would be much appreciated. Email us at ed44vt@gmail.com or call Jean Willard at 886-2730. Mailing Address: NSPS, PO Box 114, North Springfield, Vt. 05150 Board of Directors North School Preservation Society 2014 President: Virginia Jewell Ricker Vice-President: William C. Hannah Secretary: Edwin Fransen Treasurer: James Soucy Resident Agent: Jean M. Willard Trustees: Allen "Chip" Woods, Margery Burbank, Andrea Cook Volunteers: Earl Davis Jr., Christy Gilchrist, Maurice Gilchrist, Marion Harlow, Francine Provost https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8pl2WcMrnZ3oi0BUk1tBiyAb3hdLpWUuxg5bfkjmCRFEHeQqswr_c_tAbDDRBO9ckU1hNgKvHlT3SFv7FEF5fQSgp0KjT2PDpG8b8WDDabgzuD5QkECuhmvqyRX3VyZBbDeIRpntJyczc/s640/nschool-annual2014-480.jpg
RE: At first, the group expected their main source of income would come from the sale of memberships in the organization."
ReplyDeleteEvidence that the entire concept was flawed and unsustainable from the outset. So instead of the town deriving revenue from the property, it essentially gave it away, where it is destined to become another dilapidated eyesore that the town will eventually have to demolish.
well said
DeleteThey all want their parks.
ReplyDeleteThey all want the relics of their past preserved.
They all wax nostalgic.
They all want somebody else (YOU) to pay for it...
I count 11 in the photo, possibly 12 if there's anyone behind the camera. Wow! That is quite a "society"! So once again, the town has essentially let a very minute minority rule in favor of their narrow self-interests.
ReplyDeleteWhat is pictured is pure selfishness. We're not witnessing area residents supporting the Commons or Freedom Park across town. They're only concerned about a personal property buffer at our expense. Shameful.
DeleteWasn't it the school which gave it away in order to avoid the ongoing costs of maintaining or demolishing? Wonder if we are going down the same road with Park Street School. Seems to me back in the day somebody on the School Board argued this was a dead end and counterproductive, but Jean Willard was unstoppable. Maybe it was the Town, but seems to me it was the School Board.
ReplyDeleteIt's been my understanding (I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong) that the focus of this group has been not to "wax nostalgic" or have a "personal property buffer" but to develop a truly community-oriented site with trails, park area, skating, sledding, and a building that would serve the community-at-large once it is operational. Possibly a theater or stage area, meeting space for groups such as the Scouts (who already use the warming hut and skating area) and other organizations. There is a much larger vision to benefit the community, not something personal or private. But again, that's just my humble interpretation from talking with a number of the folks on this committee.
ReplyDeleteAnd who do you think is going to pay for the "larger vision" of "...trails, park area, skating, sledding, and a building..."? Rest assured it will not be the "North School Preservation Society" nor any of its supporters. Folks like Willard seek to achieve their personal agendas by veiled projects that profess to be for the public good but which ultimate serve only a narrow circle of friends and comrades sharing similar self-interests. In the end, the obviously unattainable "larger vision" only adds to the woes of a woeful township.
Delete