The SAU
#53 Superintendent’s Letter of Resignation is printed in the Epsom
section of this paper. Please refer to that section to read
his comments.
Happy Birthday to Angela Millette on
April 7.
The monthly Book Sales at Chichester Library
start on April 9th, from 8 to 1. If you have never been to a
Book Sale you will be amazed at the number and variety of books to
choose from. The prices are right, too! Come to the back of the
library on Pound Road. Sales are held rain or shine. There will be
an Open House on that same day in the Library from 9 to 12. This is
your chance to view the art exhibit, buy a chance in the Easter
Raffle, and see what your library has to offer.
The
snow is melting and the roadside trash is appearing. Take a bag with
you on your next walk and exercise your waist as well as your legs
by picking up along your way.
Out Of
Your Attic Thrift Shop News
Submitted By Carol Hendee
Important News
There has been a change in our phone number.
Please contact the Out of Your Attic Thrift Shop by calling either:
247-7191 or 707-7577. You can also access our web site at
www.babythreadsofnh.com.
Our business is built on quarters and dollars. When you
come into the shop, you will find many items, including books,
videos and knick knacks for 25¢ and many clothing items for $1.00.
Based on saving $30.00 a month for a landline phone, we have changed
to two cell phones, for twice the coverage. This was effective
April 1, 2011.
When you visit the store, you will see
spring has truly sprung. Shorts and Tees are out for sale.
Sports equipment has also appeared. Please stop in to browse
at 345 Suncook Valley Hwy, Chichester; Tues. and Thurs. 8-4, Wed.
11-4 and Sat. 10-4 or call 247-7191 or 707-7577. Happy Spring!
Chichester Library News
The Chichester Town Library will be
celebrating National Poetry Month on Wednesday, April 13th from 7:00
to 9:00 and we are honored that Don Kimball has agreed to be our
featured poet on Wednesday.
Don is the author of two chapbooks,
Journal of a Flatlander (Finishing Line Press 2009) and Skipping
Stones (Pudding House Publications 2008). His poems have
appeared in various journals and anthologies. He’s been
nominated for a Pushcart Prize (2009) and the Pen New England
Literary Award; and he has won two first prizes and a second prize
in national contests sponsored by the Poetry Society of New
Hampshire. Don currently hosts the monthly poetry reading series at
Gibson’s Bookstore.
Several area poets have also been invited to
read and we extend this invitation to anyone in the community who
would like to participate in the open mic segment of the evening.
If you are interested in reading please call 798-5613 or 798-3410.
The evening promises to be a good time; refreshments will be served;
there will be live music. Come just to listen. Please let us
know if you are planning to attend.
Chichester Historical Society
First Public Meetinghouse
Part III
Submitted By Walter Sanborn
My last article on the
building of the first public meetinghouse in Chichester pertained to
the years 1791 when the meetinghouse was built until the year 1828
when the Union Congregational Society relinquished its rights to the
town to use the building for religious purposes.
This use of the
meetinghouse by the Congregational Society for religious services I
will call Phase I.
There is no record of any repairs or work done
on the meetinghouse from 1791 until it was released from the
Congregational Society in 1828 except the addition of the choir loft
in 1793. In 1838 the town used the building until 1843 when
the building was in such dilapidated condition a committee was
chosen to meet the pew holders to see if the building could be
bought off the society so it could be replaced or repaired. A
committee of three men reported that according to the best of their
judgment the house was not worth more than $75.00.
In 1843
it was voted that it was expedient to build a town house or to use
the old meetinghouse provided it could be purchased for $75.00 or
otherwise build an entirely new building. The new building was
to be built on town land or on the center square so called.
William Swain, Newell Sanborn and J. P. Mason were voted to
superintend the building and the matter as to size and form of the
building was left in their hands. The only stipulation was it
should be completed by the first of March.
Apparently nothing was
done because another meeting was held in May when it was voted not
to build it on the town land or in the square. At the next
town meeting the selectmen were left to investigate building a new
town house, to be located on the same lot as the old meetinghouse,
or to change the old meetinghouse into a town house.
This is
just the beginning of the voters’ indecision as to what to do about
building a town house for the town meetings.
I am going to leave
this subject until my next article which becomes more confusing as
the voters further decisions become more complicated to understand
at each town meeting.
It has been said that the present building
once faced North rather than South as it now does, that it was moved
from its present location to the Center and back and again a new
building was started at the center and then voted to be built at its
present location. All this is mentioned in historical writings
but no actual records prove these statements to be true.
In my
next article I will copy actual votes taken at town meetings and let
you decide for yourself.
The next recording of the town house I
will refer to as Phase II of the town house.
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