Not too long ago, student Grace Collins, 13, expected that she would attend South Royalton School through the end of her public schooling. But because of the merger, the South Royalton resident started eighth grade Aug. 29 in Bethel. Grace has agreed to share her thoughts about the school year in a series of vlogs (short for video logs, or video diaries).
In her second submission, recorded this week and posted above, Grace answers the following prompt:
Some adults have wondered whether old school rivalries between South Royalton and Bethel might make it hard to get along. What is your reaction to that? How is it going as you try to get to know Bethel students? Is there anything that has made that process easier or more challenging?
You can watch Grace’s first vlog, recorded after the first day of school, along with a full Valley News report about the new school’s debut, at this link.
If you are a White River Valley Middle School student, or know of a student, who might like to record vlogs during the first few months of school, please email me at mcassidy@vnews.com.
On the first day of school on Aug. 29, 2018, finishing touches are done on the newly-formed White River Valley Middle School in Bethel. Vt. Tim Poljacik on the school maintenance crew installs the school’s new name on Aug. 29, 2018. (Valley News – Jennifer Hauck) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.
White River Valley Middle School seventh-graders Sauntie White, left, and Tanner Drury ask prepared questions as they get to know each other in Holly Williams’ science class in Bethel, Vt., on Aug. 31, 2018. Paisley Irish speaks with Williams in the background on the first day of school. The students are all from Bethel. (Valley News – Jennifer Hauck) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.
Not too long ago, student Grace Collins, 13, expected that she would attend South Royalton School through the end of her public schooling. But because of the merger, the South Royalton resident started eighth grade on Wednesday in Bethel. Grace has agreed to share her thoughts about the school year in a series of vlogs. In this submission, recorded on Wednesday, she answers the question, “What is your reaction to the first day of school, and what is different, challenging or exciting?”
This vlog first appeared in our Sunday Valley News story about the school’s first week. If you are a White River Valley Middle School student, or know of a student, who might like to record vlogs during the first few months of school, please email me at mcassidy@vnews.com.
p.s. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, another great place to find stories like these.
The contents of two time capsules that had just been opened on the Royalton Green, in South Royalton, Vt., on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018. (Valley News – August Frank) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.
It took place on one of Royalton’s two gazebos.
(RELATED: Does Royalton have the highest gazebo-per-capita rating in the country or what?)
Hold on to your hats, folks — it’s time capsules time!
Royalton Historical Society President and Curator John Dumville reports that two copper time capsules were found in the base of the Handy Memorial on the town green in South Royalton on July 23, when the monument was being dismantled for restoration.
Mark your calendars for Thursday, Aug. 9, when the capsules will be opened on the town green.
Dumville said the capsules will be opened at 6:30 that evening, prior to this season’s final Royalton Town Band Concert.
(In an email to me this afternoon, Dumville said the original plan was for the capsules to be opened in the town office prior to a Selectboard meeting, but the event was moved outside to accommodate a large anticipated turnout.)
Dumville said in a previous Facebook post that he “would have suspected there would be a time capsule in the monument but there is no record of what is in them.”
“Evelyn Lovejoy, who was instrumental in having the monument erected, wrote the 1911 town history which helped to fund the monument and the library,” he said. “It would have been unusual not to have a time capsule and perhaps if you read all the newspapers from the time you might find that capsules were included but not what was put inside. I’ve combed the papers to learn more about the monument but have never discovered who did the actual design and manufacture of it. I (wish) there had been plans but none seem to exist.”
Dumville provided some photos of the discovery, shown below! Thanks so much for sharing, John.
One of the two copper time capsules found in the base of the Handy Memorial on the town green in South Royalton on July 23, 2018. Photo courtesy John Dumville.
The Handy Memorial. The capsules were found in the base of the monument when it was dismantled for restoration. Photo courtesy John Dumville.
NEATO!
You might recall that we are big fans of time capsules over here. Check out my 2015 video on the opening of a 1944 time capsule in Lebanon below, and maybe we’ll see you in Royalton on Aug. 9.
