In a town-meeting, the great secret of political science was uncovered, and the problem solved, how to give every individual his fair weight in the government, without any disorder from numbers. In a town-meeting, the roots of society were reached. Here the rich gave counsel, but the poor also; and moreover, the just and the unjust.—RALPH W ALDO EMERSON Vol. II No. 20 • Issue No. 45 Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts April 27–May 10, 2006 $1.00 Mohawk district faces budget cuts of $275,000 Increase in state aid ‘may buy a year’ to study school closings more carefully By Don Stewart creases, the district was facing don@sfi ndependent.net cuts of $482,000 in order to trim ——— the budget to an overall increase BUCKLAND—Just two hours of four percent in operating costs. before the monthly school com- School offi cials are now consider- mittee meeting on April 12, ing how to carve $275,000 from Mohawk Trail Regional School next year’s expenditures. District (MTRSD) officials re- Buoniconti said that he didn’t ceived upbeat news regarding the anticipate more funding from the state’s proposed FY07 education state senate when it votes fi nal budget. approval. Superintendent Michael Buo- “I’m not expecting anything niconti told committee members dramatic,” he said. “I’m really that the House Ways and Means happy, frankly, with what I’m Committee had increased state seeing here.” Chapter 70 educational funding In earlier remarks, the Super- to the district by $98,705, while intendent explained that the providing an additional $108,557 $19.3 million “status quo” bud- in busing reimbursement money. get, which would have required A later vote in the state senate overrides in several towns, has will confi rm the fi gures. been abandoned. When it was “It’s more revenue than we had proposed, town offi cials through- a few days ago,” Buoniconti said, out the district expressed strong “so this is good news.” disapproval of a fi nancial picture Previous to these revenue in- which would have increased op- SFI photo/Jeff Potter erating costs by approximately Susan Todd stands in the Heath Elementary School, where she has served as principal since 2001. $1 million. “After much conversation, the likelihood of passing that budget, Annual I’d say is slim to none,” he said. The community speaks Classrooms without walls In late March Buoniconti con- Town vened four “public forums” with parents and concerned residents Heath principal Susan Todd heads toward retirement, at the four district elementary Meetings, schools. The purpose was to con- vey the harsh fi nancial realities leaving a legacy of education and community engagement the district is facing—declining Elections state aid and, over the past three By Don Stewart during a recent interview at writers who would be the envy composed and edited by Colrain years, a jump in local fi nancing don@sfi ndependent.net the Colonial era farmhouse of Oprah’s booking agent. resident Judith Maloney. As part of the Independent’s of “above minimum contribution” ——— where she and her husband, Pulitzer Prize–winning author Todd said that she’d been launch of its long-awaited new costs that have spiraled from ASHFIELD—This September, Richard, live. “But I felt that at Tracy Kidder (The Soul of a New inspired by a biography about Web site, coverage of West Coun- $195,000 to $2.7 million. following more than 20 years whatever age you are, you can Machine and House) spoke to 19th century essayist and jour- ty’s annual town meetings and This is coupled to an annual of work in secondary school start teaching. So the challenges classes and was encouraged by nalist George William Cur- elections will be available at bus transportation bill of $1.34 education, Ashfield resident are every bit as present then as both Todd and Sandy Warren, a tis, one of Ashfield’s cultural www.sfindependent.net after Satur- million, which, despite a legal ob- Susan Todd will be retiring. they are when you’re just out of Northampton school principal, infl uences. day, April 29. ligation, is only partially funded For the past five years she’s school.” to write the 1990 book Among “He recalled when Ralph A good deal of town warrant with a $750,000 check from the been principal at the Heath Schoolchildren. Fragments from Waldo Emerson came into his information was still under dis- state. Elementary School. Previous to Emerson’s infl uence his Colrain visit can be found class when he was in elementary cussion at press time. Shadowing these financial that appointment she taught at As a Boston resident in the within its pages. And Newbery school,” she said. “It made me “We’re excited about the pos- spikes is a substantial decline Colrain Central from the mid- late 1970s, while her husband Award winner Pat McLaughlin, think, the best people should sibilities of getting beyond the in student population which, 1980s until 2001. worked as an editor for The best known for her book Sarah, come into the public schools. I limits of publishing on paper district-wide, may fall to 1,000 Before beginning a teaching Atlantic Monthly, Todd became Plain and Tall, visited the school kept thinking: if people would every other week,” Editor Jeff pupils within fi ve years. Several career in Colrain, she’d been a a founding editor of Parents’ twice. At a time when Colrain come in, it would be an impor- Potter noted. schools are operating at from 50- reviewer and editor, a house- Choice magazine, a tabloid- was celebrating its 225th Anni- tant thing.” Subscribers will be able to ac- 60 percent capacity. Buoniconti wife and mother to three girls. sized publication that reviewed versary, National Public Radio “She was an excellent teach- cess the site at no charge. Those has suggested that the annual The transition to a chalkboard children’s media. Drawing from reporter Tom Looker taught er,” Colrain Central Principal who have bought this issue may budget could be stabilized to a classroom was dramatic. her acquaintances in the cre- students how to interview the Jackie Daley recalled recently. access the additional information more predictable growth rate if “I was in my early 40s when ative fields, Colrain students town’s residents. Those inter- “Very empathetic, very struc- by following the information in one or two elementary schools I started teaching,” Todd said were soon meeting with A-list views were compiled into a book continued on page 6 the box on page 2. continued on page 6 ON THE West County citizens to be recognized MEND Naomi Clark, paralized last year from a spinal cord injury • GCC to honor Colrain poet Purington sustained in an ATV accident, is seeing improvement from By Laura Rodley able, and the amount of syllables Pond, Ribbons, American Tanka, her rehabilitation in Arizona. laura@sfi ndependent.net per line to vary. The Christian Science Monitor, See story, page 2. ——— While a poem is a distillation Lynx, Poetry in the Light and The COLRAIN—Local poet Carol of an experience or feeling, Seasons. Purington will be given the Dis- haiku carries it even further, to She has also published books tinguished Alumnus Award by be a breath of the essence of a of her haiku with illustrations Greenfi eld Community College feeling, or experience. Reading drawn by her sister-in-law, Steph- on April 30. a haiku is rather like getting a anie Purington. Carol Purington, who attended whiff of the emerging fragrance “Yesterday, I counted eight the school from 1970–1973, is of a new lilac blossom or sweet books, two of which are prose,” well known for her peaceful pea blossoms, or the elusive fra- said Purington. Her books in- pastoral haiku, a Japanese verse grance of a pansy. To write haiku clude A Pattern For This Place, form with three unrhymed lines is very diffi cult, and Purington Family Farm, The Trees Breathe of fi ve, seven and fi ve syllables has mastered the form. Sweetness, and The Seasons Where respectively. Currently the exact More than 100 of her haiku The Sap Runs. Her most recent number of syllables is blurred, al- have been published in jour- book is Where the School House lowing 11 syllables to be accept- nals such as Modern Haiku, Frog continued on page 12 SHELBURNE FALLS INDEPENDENT PRSRT STD 8 Deerfi eld Ave., Shelburne Falls, MA 01370 US POSTAGE • World traveller has spirit of adventure PAID www.sfi ndependent.net Permit #183 By Laura Rodley George Needham Business Award and discovered a rare species of ——— Turners Falls, MA laura@sfi ndependent.net will be awarded to the Warfi eld rock that is now displayed in the Address service requested ——— House in Charlemont for contin- Smithsonian.” SHELBURNE FALLS—Carolyn ued support of local education. “More than anyone else I know, Taylor of Shelburne has been cho- A special award will be awarded Carolyn exhibits the true spirit sen for the Jim Boulger Spirit of to Gerhard Stebich of Plainfi eld, of adventure,” said Mary Lyon Adventure Award from the Mary an active school committee mem- Director Susan Samoriski. “She Lyon Foundation. ber, for many years of service to keeps us riveted with her e-mails The presentation will be at the education of youth in the of her travels.” the annual spring Lyonnaise on community. Taylor has just returned from a Saturday, May 13, at 7 p.m. at the As a former member of the trip to Central America that she Warfi eld House in Charlemont. Mary Lyon board of directors, started on in January.