On February 26, the Cheshire County delegation met in Concord and formed a committee to approach the delegations of other counties to convince them that Keene was an ideal place for a new normal school.
Keene Evening Sentinel
February 27, 1907
Page 7
NORMAL SCHOOL QUESTION
Cheshire County Delegation Working For Keene
Committee Appointed to Talk Up the Merits of This City – O’Neil of Walpole Opposed to Educational Trust – Three Bills of Local Interest Advanced a Step.
Concord, Feb. 26. – The Cheshire county delegation held an interesting meeting this afternoon to arrange for bringing the new state normal school to Keene if it can possibly be done. After speeches heartily in support of the idea from Madden, Aldrich, Benton and Huntress of Keene, Senator Wilcox Adams of Marlborough, who is a member of the normal school committee, Chaplin of Fitzwilliam, Pattridge of Chesterfield, Stone of Westmoreland, and others, a committee was appointed to wait upon other county delegations, particularly Coos, Grafton and Sullivan, and acquaint them with the merits of Keene as an ideal location for the proposed school. This committee consists of Mr. Fay of Keene, chairman of the delegation, Senator Shedd, Mr. Madden of Keene and Mr. Chaplin of Fitzwilliam. During the course of the meeting many good arguments were advanced for Keene, which will be made the most of by members of the delegation in doing missionary work among their fellows.
The only inharmonious note in the proceedings was a lively speech by Mr. O’Neil of Walpole, the only man in the house, by the way, who is a native of Keene, who opposed the whole normal school business and the “educational trust” in general. If he repeats the substance of the speech on the floor of the house, as he promises to do, it will create a sensation.
Most of the interest of today has centered about the committee rooms as the proceedings in the two legislative halls were rather tame.
After another hour of speechmaking on the Hancock waterworks bill the house passed it by a viva voce majority so large that no division was asked for.
The senate called back from the governor the “omnibus” fish and game bill and recommitted it for purposes of amendment. A few bills of minor interest were passed by the upper branch.
Leave of absence on account of illness was granted to Mr. Webster of Jaffrey at the morning session of the house. Four bills were killed, including two measures in amendment of the license law.
The committee on appropriations brought in a new bill, rebating part of the state and county tax of the town of Salem, which is having hard financial sledding on account of the collapse of the race track proposition.
Nine bills passed the lower branch in the afternoon, including house bill 161 in amendment of the charter of the Keene academy and house bill 160, raising the salary of the sheriff of Cheshire county from $300 to $500.
The senate ordered to a third reading the bill raising the salary of the commissioners of Cheshire county.
H. C. Pearson