After many adjustments and much deliberation, the Board of Finance at a May 25 meeting approved a $5,464,720 budget for FY2023-2024, which includes $1,850,260 for the general government, $2,140,288 for Hampton Elementary School, and $1,474,172 for Regional District #11, previously approved by tri-town voters at a May 2 referendum. The proposed budget represents a 2.71% increase over the current year and the first increase to the mill rate in over a decade.

Prior to the meeting, a public hearing was held with two dozen residents in attendance, many of whom spoke in support of the elementary school’s proposal of $2,151,403, a 5.49% increase. With the exception of one speaker, Luther Gerlach, who relayed that his family selected Hampton in large part because of the “beautiful, small school”, supporters of the school budget were members, and family members, of the Board of Education and family members of the Board of Finance. Irene Brown urged members of the community to work together and “put the nickels and dimes to rest”. Board of Education Vice- Chairman Mark Becker bemoaned the “constant battle to support the school”, advocating for improvements and expanded programs, and Chairman Rose Bisson explained that when she claimed she could run the school as efficiently as the combined model of Hampton and Scotland elementary schools that the towns researched last year, she wasn’t referring to costs. Bisson was responding to a remark made by school board member Juan Arriola, who served on the committee that researched the combined school model with Bisson, who had stated that Hampton Elementary could be run as efficiently as the combined school that stood to save, according to the report, approximately a half a million a year for each town.

Arriola was the only audience member to suggest that the school board could reduce its budget, basing this belief on the resignations of two staff members, both of whom served the school for 39 years and resigned after the board adopted its budget. Arriola claimed that a new teacher’s salary would be considerably less, and that the resignation of the principal was an opportunity to research different models for that position, combining administrative roles or sharing a principal with another small school. Bisson also countered Arriola’s suggestions on savings, stating that a combination principal/superintendent hadn’t worked in the past, and that hiring a new teacher for the combined class model the school employs would “cost the children to lose a year of education”. Due to the small population, the school groups two grades together in classes ranging from 14 to 17 students.

After the public hearing adjourned, the finance board met to discuss and adopt both the general government and elementary school budgets to present at the Annual Town Meeting. The board adjusted the municipal budget by $32,820. The line item for the Ambulance Service, which increased 69.25%, was reduced by $37,120, an amount to be covered with American Rescue Plan Act funds if approved by voters. Treasurer Ellen Rodriguez suggested that $4,300 be added to the budget to reflect the actual costs of certain items such as fuel oil. With these changes, the finance board approved the municipal budget at a 7.54% increase over last year largely due to increases in utilities, medical services, the replacement of fire department equipment, health insurance, a 5% cost-of-living adjustment for all town employees, and $100,000 placed in an existing Capital & Non-Recurring account toward the purchase of a new fire truck. First Selectman Al Cahill also explained the $300,000 reduction to the Grand List as the court case continues with the Solar Park which has yet to pay taxes the Town claims are owed.

The school board budget was subject to much debate. Chairman Donahue listed a number of statistics to support a reduction. The Minimum Budget Requirement, a figure issued by the State Department of Education which reflects the amount a school district is required to spend, was reduced by $142,975 from the current year due to the drop in student enrollment. Donahue also reported that the Governor’s budget reduces the town’s Educational Cost Sharing grant by $74,000. Although the State Appropriations Committee has suggested an extension of the freeze initiated during the pandemic, a decision on this temporary measure has not been reached. The ECS formula, developed a few years ago, will reduce Hampton’s State funds for education by $400,000 by 2030. Finance board alternate member Kathi Newcombe also noted that the Department of Education ranks Hampton 9th in the state for net current expenditures and 113th in town wealth.

Although Donahue was not proposing that the budget be drastically reduced to the amount the MBR allows, she reminded members that historically budgets with significant increases over the MBR were subjected to multiple referenda before voters approved them. She noted that recent reductions in staff had not reduced student programs, and that the latest actual expenditures distributed by the school showed some line item surpluses which could be applied to some of next year’s purchases. She also stated that the recent retirements should result in significant savings, and that the board could revisit the school’s administrative model in order to combine, or share, the principal’s position.

Much of the debate among members centered on the potential savings of the two retirements, both of which were submitted to the board on May 24, two months after the board adopted its initial budget on March 22. Since that date, other changes were made to increase the budget. These included a 5% increase to non-union staff raises, an additional student attending STEM Academy, and a 10% hike in tuition to that magnet school. The latest draft version of the budget, adjusted at the May 26 meeting, was $2,155,880, a 5.7% increase over the current year.

Nick Brown suggested the budget return to the original, March 22 proposal of $2,140,288, a 4.95% increase over the current year, reducing the final draft version by $15,542. Brown cited the effects of inflation on items such as oil and supplies and the fixed costs of tuition, noting that with the 5.54% decrease in Hampton’s assessment to Regional District #11, the total education budget would remain nearly flat. He also echoed school officials’ skepticism that the retirements, due to the demands of the positions and potential insurance changes, would save money. Brown was supported by Joan Fox, who suggested the removal of $100,000 toward the purchase of a fire truck to lessen the spike in the mill rate, and Ed Adelman, who stated that the MBR should not be viewed as a target. Brown appealed to individual members in the hope of reaching consensus, but Judy Buell expressed concern with the continued ECS cuts and confidence in the potential for savings with the retirements and voted, along with Donahue, against Brown’s proposal, which ultimately passed with a 4-2 vote.

The final decision will rest with the voters at a June 15, 2023, referendum.

The polls will be open on June 15, 2023, in the Community Room at Town Hall, from noon to 8PM for voters to decide the following questions:
• Shall the Town of Hampton appropriate $1, 850,262 for General Government for the 2023-2024 fiscal year?
• Shall the Town of Hampton appropriate $2,140,288 for the Hampton Elementary School for the 2023-2024 fiscal year?
• Shall the Town of Hampton approve the use of $60,800 from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to supplement the Ambulance Service?
• Shall the Town of Hampton appropriate up to $10,000 from the unassigned general fund (UAGV) for Little River Park Maintenance?
• Shall the Town of Hampton approve the use of $32,700 from the American Rescue Plan (ARPA) to purchase PPE and alarms for the Hampton Fire Company?
• Shall the Town of Hampton approve the transfer of CNR unallocated funds to the CNR Capital Building Fund?

Registered voters and citizens listed on the October, 2022 Grand List as owning at least $1000 of property are eligible to vote. Absentee ballots are available at the Town Clerk’s office during regular Town Hall hours.

Dayna McDermott-Arriola and Sulema Perez-Pagan, Registrars of Voters

Originally intended to explore our town’s agricultural past and its barns, “while they’re still standing”, “Our Rural Heritage” has
branched into other areas of our history – country doctors and milk delivery during the pandemic, “swimming holes” in the summer, our one room schoolhouses in September and in December, the celebration of the “The Holidays”. We now intend to journey into the original villages which once comprised the town of Hampton, seven small communities with their own institutions and enterprises — schools, stores, mills, train stations, post offices – as well as the unique character of each area and the folks who lived there — Clarks Corner, Appaquag, Bigelow, Boston Hollow, Rawson, Howard Valley and Hampton Hill, which is where we will begin this series. And in consideration of its 300th anniversary on June 5th of this year, we’ll commence with its centerpiece : the Congregational Church.

The town center, also referred to, at one time or another, and sometimes still, as “town”, “Main Street”, “Windham Village”, “the village”, “Chelsea Hill, “Hampton Hill”, or simply, “the hill”, wasn’t established until after 1712. In Discovering Hampton, Janice Trecker explains that the proprietors of Windham determined that “the pleasant ridge-top situation and the fertile valley below would make a fine new settlement”, and named it “Windham Village”, though a 1713 reference calls it “Meeting House Hill”, which suggests that there were plans for a religious society prior to the petition for its establishment.

Within five years, sixteen of the inhabitants of the hill appealed to the General Assembly and the First Society of Windham to establish their own church. In 1717, their petition was granted, and “Canada Parish”, named for the first person to settle in what is now Hampton, became the “Second Religious Society of Windham”. The residents immediately started the arduous task of raising the money required for a minister and to construct a meeting house, and in 1722, William Billings, a Yale graduate, was hired as the first minister for a sum of 150 pounds and a salary of ninety pounds and free firewood. Billings was ordained on June 5, 1723 in the unfinished meeting house.

Susan Jewett Grigg’s Folklore and Firesides lists the members of the first church: Nathaniel Kingsbury, William Durkee, Ebenezer Abbey, George Martin, Joseph Jennings, Nathaniel Hovey, Samuel Ashley, John Clarke, John Durkee, William Durkee, Jeremiah Durkee, Thomas Marsh, William Farnham, John Scripture, Nathaniel Fline, Benjamin Bidlock. Within two years, over 30 more men would join the list, though everyone paid taxes to support the ministry, and the parishioners voted to “look upon every baptized person to be subject to church discipline and ought to be called to an account by some church or another, whenever they offend.”
Billings’ ministry was short-lived and plagued with dissension detailed in Jean Wierzbinski’s article, “Faithful Labours and Peculiar Trials” published in the Gazette, with restrictions such as this 1731 summons to a parishioner, “having been informed of your being over-taken with inebriating drink at sundry times of late, to great dishonor of Christ and religion and danger of your own soul”, and this criticism from a parishioner “I had rather hear my dog bark than Mr. Billings preach”. In these examples, the summons was ignored, and Billings refused to accept, or even hear, the man’s apology. Punishments were harsh in those days, branding for scandals such as adultery, jail for debtors, public floggings for countless offenses.

Billings died in 1733 ten years after his ordination, leaving four children and his wife, Bethiah, who would remarry the next minister, Samuel Moseley. A graduate of Harvard, and successful farmer, Moseley served as minister for the next fifty-eight years. As spiritual leader for almost six decades, Moseley saw his congregation through tumultuous times during the period of “The Great Awakening”, with the “Old Lights”, stalwart believers in the traditional role of the church and the minister, and the “New Lights”, who embraced the notion that the Spirit could speak through anyone, including marginalized people such as women and Native Americans. Wierzbinski rightly characterized the times as “a spiritual earthquake that caused deep and permanent schisms in the church”.

On a local level, Moseley also dealt with disputes over pews. With the building of the new meetinghouse came the assignment of seats, a task charged to a committee. Apparently, the committee made the mistake of permitting men of small means to own prime pews, allowing “men of little or no estate to sit in the forward and high pews; while others of good estate and high in public esteem were compelled with shame to take the lower seats”. This infuriated the elite, as ownership of pews was proof of societal status. It was then decided to “sell the pews at public vendue”, and twenty-five pews sold for prices ranging from three to fourteen pounds. This decision also proved problematic, as some bidders were bachelors who weren’t heavily taxed, and others weren’t eligible voters, narrowly defined as white, male, land owners of “sober conversation and quiet, peaceable behavior”. These sales, too, were rescinded, and a new committee was charged with assigning the seats in accordance with “the requisite order and formality”. This, apparently, resolved the issues.

Moseley died in 1791 at the age of 83, and is buried in the North Cemetery, where the Reverend James Cogswell delivered the sermon : “God has in his wisdom and kindness, after a long life of faithful labours, eminent usefulness, peculiar trials, and excruciating sufferings, put a period to the life of his aged servant, the pastor of this flock”.

Though the “pillars” of the church reference its parishioners, what remains familiar to us from the church’s past are the pillars themselves, the facility itself, the history of which Bob Burgoyne chronicled in the Gazette series “This Old Hill”. Although the original meeting house was replaced, its impact on the village was lasting. With early farms situated to the north and west prior to its construction, this section of town became its center once the meeting house was built. However, little else is known of the first structure. “It is not clear exactly where it was sited, or whether the structure was ever fully completed. It most likely was built on the west side of the street on or near the site of the present meeting house,” Burgoyne wrote. “This first structure served the society for only twenty years before it was proposed that a new meeting house be built.” Jonathan Clark recorded in his journal that the original meeting house was moved across the street to serve, ironically, “spirits” for seventy years as a tavern for townspeople and travelers alike.

In 1753, George Martin deeded a parcel of his Main Street frontage, for the sum of forty pounds, “right west of the meeting house to build a new meetinghouse for divine worship”. Designed and built by Thomas Steadman, Jr., who built several other of the village structures, the new building “was most probably a simple rectangular structure with a nine window front and central entry,” Burgoyne wrote. “In most respects this second period meeting house would have looked like a standard two –story colonial house without the chimney (early meeting houses were not heated). “ As Griggs observed, the worshippers prized their meetinghouses too dearly to risk fires, and believed the “red hot preaching should be enough to keep them warm.”

“To say that the structure was simple is not to say that it was plain,” Burgoyne notes. In “Early Connecticut Meetinghouses”, Frederick Kelly describes the paint on the 1805 church: “on the roof and the backside red, the foreside and the ends a stone yellow, the window frames white, and the doors and bottom boards a chocolate color”. The steeple was put on in 1790, would be toppled in the hurricane of 1815 and 1938 and returned to the roof. In 1798, Jonathan Clark installed the first bell, which Griggs relays “was ordered rung at 9 o’clock at night, at noon, and at 8 ‘clock Saturday.” One hundred years later Arthur Kimball would recall in Alison Davis’ Hampton Remembers, “At weddings it rang joyfully and at funerals it tolled, one stroke for a male, two strokes for a female, and one stroke for each year of the person’s ’life. Then if you heard it and you knew who was sick in town you could tell pretty well who had died.” The bell also served town functions, summoning residents to attend meetings and to fight fires.

In 1838-1839, repairs to the church included the Greek Revival remodeling of the façade and the addition of the columned portico. Kelly describes “The angles of the building are now treated with plain Greek Doric Pilasters. The four columns of the…front portico are of the same order but fluted. Pilasters and columns carry a heavy, but simple, entablature, composed of a molded architrave, a plain frieze, and a molded cornice. This entablature extends along both sides and across the front of the building where the projected gable forms a pediment…the soffit of this portico is finished with raised paneling…once part of the pews.” Electricity was installed in 1922.

The first parsonage, which still stands at the top of Hammond Hill facing the Main Street, is historically known as the Moseley place for the minister. The second parsonage, the colonial on Parsonage Road, hence the name, still stands as well. In 1917, the Church purchased real estate across the street for the present parsonage. In 1902, a chapel was built because parishioners felt it was too cold in the church winters. Built on the same site, Holt Hall would eventually replace the chapel, which served multiple purposes: for religious meetings, social gatherings, sewing circles, and as a cooperative kindergarten starting in 1950 into the early sixties, when the horse stables south of the church were also removed. Swings suspended from the stable arches replaced the horses, and some of us remember swinging on them during kindergarten recess, or while our parents socialized after church.

The Church also sponsored several organizations, various couples clubs and youth groups, and most notably, the Ladies Aid Society. In Hampton Remembers, Helen Mathews relayed “the Ladies Aid Society built the chapel, not with their own hands but with their own money,” and Gertrude Pearl recalled, “We put on a supper every single Saturday night until some of us wished we never had to eat again.” In The History of the Ladies’ Aid Society, Eleanor Sharpe recorded: “In the six years between 1904 and 1910 we purchased one thousand eight hundred and fifty-two yards of cloth which was made into various kinds of salable articles,” and Harriet Utley Brown in Memories of Hampton noted that a future antiquarian might “unearth the fact that the principal industries of Hampton during the early part of the Twentieth Century were the manufacture of rag rugs, aprons, bayberry, ironing pads and grandmother pen-wipers by the Ladies’ Aid Society.”

Much has changed in the last 300 years. The Church is no longer the spiritual and social center of the town, as it was for so many years, with the arrival of folks of many faiths and new community organizations. What it retains is its distinction as the second oldest meetinghouse in Connecticut in continuous use on its original site, and its aesthetic presence at the center of the town. What remains is the sense of history. To step into the church, for a service or a concert, to sit in those controversial pews, or in the balcony, listening to the historic pipe organ, in the dim light of candlelit windows and chandeliers, is to step into Hampton’s past.

Dayna McDermott

On the evening of the eighteenth of August, nineteen hundred and twenty -three, as part of the bi-centennial celebration there was staged a pageant entitled “Hampton, Yesterday and Today.” The pageant portrayed the first settling and later development of this section of Windham County. The first two episodes illustrated the hardship experienced by the Pioneers in conquering the wilderness, the climate and the Indians. The third episode dealt with the Revolutionary period, and the fourth showed the dress and pleasures of 1830. The fifth and last episode illustrated allegorically the present day interests.

Through the kindness of Mrs. Frederick W. Davis the pageant was given on her lawn, which provided a beautiful background of trees and shrubs, with the chapel showing through them. A high screen of boughs extending from the chapel to the front of the stage formed a splendid entrance from which issued the players and dancers.

The lighting effects were produced by properly placed automobiles which focused their headlights upon the stage, while a spotlight with colored screens was thrown upon individual features. The music throughout the evening was furnished by piano, violin and cornet, which with the artistic costuming made the dancing most effective. The entertainment was opened with a spoken prelude by Rev. A. Avery Gates and each episode was announced by the Herald of the Pageant, Roger Wolcott Davis, Esq. (Some of the main characters were Mrs. Maude Hyde Grant, J. A. Estabrooks, Mrs. Arthur Pearl, Mrs. Annie Edmond, Mrs. Jessie Burnham, Mrs. Albert Hoffman, Mrs. James L. Goodwin, Miss Mildred Burnham).

The Spirit of the Wilderness, costumed in shades of green and silver, with flowing hair, danced in speaking – “This is our earth, most friendly earth and fair. This is our home. Oh birds and trees and flowers. Here are the voices of the wondering winds and here the sun sets, quietly at eventide…”

Finale – Characters of all the episodes were grouped in a large semi-circle at the rear of the stage – Indians, Pioneers, Revolutionary and 1830 period, with Trees, Rivers, Mist Maidens, Daisies, Roses and Butterflies interspersed. The Herald announced each interest as they appeared in the center of the stage. First the Spirit of the Church in Cassock and carrying the white silk Church flag with its gold cross taking position on one side. Next came the Spirit of the State in classic costume, bracing the flag of Connecticut and taking position opposite the spirit of the Church. Then in order came the Spirit of the Town in white and wildflowers; the Spirit of Community in white; Spirit of the Grange bearing insignia; Spirit of Art with palette and brushes; Spirit of Farm in straw hat and overalls carrying a hoe and sheaf of corn; the Spirit of Education in cap and gown; the Spirit of Welfare as a Red Cross Nurse; the Spirit of Drama in filmy stage costume; the Spirit of Music bearing a lyre; the Spirit of Play in appropriate costume. These characters saluted the flags and alternately took places to form a small half circle about the Spirit of the Church and Spirit of State. The Spirit of Patriotism next announced, came to the center of the front costumed in white with blue stars and red stripes saying as she advanced: “In strength, in power with loyalty…The child, Hampton has grown…America all else above: America, beloved America .”

As these last lines were given, America, impersonated in red, white and blue costume and carrying a large National flag, marched to the center, followed by six veterans of the World War in uniforms of all branches of the service. The spirit of Patriotism unfurled the flag between herself and America. The War Veterans stood at rigid salute. All the others on the stage waved small American Flags and sang, as the Hampton Ladies Band played the “Star Spangled Banner” as a finale.

The final tableau holding pose, one hundred and fifty participants, before an audience of over six hundred people, who, having remained intensely interested spectators continuously for an hour and a half, slowly dispersed.

Mrs. J. W. Cartwright from “Hampton Remembers”

Estate sale. Yard Sale. Tag sale. Garage Sale. Curb alert.

I call my little patch of the planet Eden Acres. There is no engraved sign at the end of the driveway to make the name official. It’s just for me to reflect on during quiet moments of gratitude. Moments generally confined to periods when I’m not actually doing battle with weeds, briars, bittersweet, gnats, mosquitoes or horse flies. This morning, sitting on my back porch, the temperature perfect, a wisp of breeze, newspaper in my lap and my nose draped over a cup of fresh-brewed Death Wish coffee, it is absolutely Eden Acres.
Why on earth I would be inclined to bring a newspaper into such a serene setting defies understanding? It must be some genetic mutation that impels an aversion to serenity. Ah, but today I resist – Section A goes straight into the trash with barely a glance at the bold-faced, oversized headlines created expressly to disturb my serenity and get my dander up. Not today ya bastards. Today it’s section-B for me and my serenity. Breathe in the good – Breathe out the bad. Draping my nose again over the rim of my
coffee cup I inhale that rich, satisfying aroma of Death Wish coffee.

Alas. I am betrayed also by section-B. The lead story in boldface – Swedish Death Cleaning. My initial expectation of a bloody murder scene is soon relieved as the article turns out to be about getting old and finding ways and means to “downsize” so as not to burden our survivors with the task of disposing of our stuff. What !? Downsize! But it’s my stuff. I’ve spent a lifetime collecting my stuff. I have my stuff on shelves. I have my stuff in drawers, in cabinets, in tool boxes, in boxes in the basement, in boxes in the attic, in boxes under my bed. I have my stuff in the garage. I have my stuff in a shed in the back yard. And that’s just the little things. Don’t they say “It’s the little things that count.” I can’t be getting rid of my stuff – I might need it someday. All I have to do is remember that I have it and where I put it. (Yes. There is a lot more sand in the bottom of my hourglass than in the top.)

Besides, won’t my kids and friends be happy to get my stuff when I’m gone. Not according to this article. According to the wet blanket that wrote the article, most will only want it because it’s free and will give them an edge on their stuff collection. Most of my stuff will either be thrown away, given to charity or sold for pennies on the dollar.

Okay. That’s it. I’ve had just about enough of Debbie Downer. Let me check the inserts:
Angus Beef Tenderloin 12.99/lb. I feel my serenity slipping a little further away.
All organic smart chicken 25% off per lb. Clever.
I’ll try another insert. Hmm. Got one of those. Don’t need that. Had one of those –didn’t last the season. Deep breath. Sigh. Flip- nothing. Flip – nothing. Flip. Pause. Squint. This can’t be for real. I look again – searching for the inevitable “fine print.” I’m starting to get cautiously excited now. Just to confirm what I am seeing I call the store. The friendly and helpful Associate confirmed the ad’s authenticity.

You must learn to play the hand you’re dealt in this life and I have grown accustomed to the many disadvantages of being a member of what I believe is the most ignored and neglected minority group in the world. I have managed to improvise, adapt and overcome many obstacles. I’ve expected and received little special treatment or accommodations, yet somehow achieved a modest level of success and self-sufficiency in this life.

Finally, after all these years, someone somewhere has given specific thought to me and my kind. Something to make our lives just a little bit easier. It’s on sale – an introductory offer. Time is of the essence. Limited quantity available. Limited time offer. Limit: One per customer.

I better get there fast before they’re gone. I toss the paper in the trash, the remains of my coffee in the grass, grab my keys, hop in the truck and go tearing down the road. Anticipating a Black Friday style swarm, I brace myself to rumble. Come hell or high water, one of those limited quantity items will leave the store with me. Arriving at the store I am a bit puzzled when I find no crush of unruly customers. Maybe I’ve missed my chance. Are they already sold out? How can that be? Inside the store I am puzzled again. No shelves knocked over. No merchandise strewn across the floor. All the staff going about their business as if this was just another day like any other day. Did they pool their money to buy up the stock and sell it at huge mark-up on the black-market?

As I make my way to Aisle-7 I become increasingly convinced I’ve been duped. No. There they are – stacked four across and three deep. “Limit one per customer.” I pull one off the shelf and examine it closely. Finding no obvious flaws or damage, I make my way to the checkout counter and pay. I was expecting some sort of special congratulations or acknowledgement. Nothing. The cashier hardly bothered to look up or acknowledge my existence. Just smacked her gum and looked bored as she scanned this incredible treasure. Her attitude toward me came as no real surprise. At best my kind are met with passing curiosity kind. Indifference is the norm.

I won’t let her attitude spoil my pleasure. I am pleased with my purchase. Feeling a bit smug – superior even. I hurry home. I can hardly wait to start honing and displaying my skills on my one-per-customer, left-handed skillet. Imagining the chaos and clamor that is sure to ensue when “Estate Sale” appears at the end of Eden Acres driveway has me grinning, chuckling and self-satisfied.

We humans sure are a strange species.

For all our fuss effort and accumulation, the only things that really matter in this world are the things we do for others. All else turns to rot, rust, decay, and ends up on the scrap heap of human vanity.

See ya at the next yard sale. Until then: Breathe in the good – Breathe out the bad.

JPG

The fences we construct — picket, split rail, stockade, hedgerow, wrought iron, chain link, stone – serve a purpose. They provide protection around the pool, or privacy around a family’s patio, or conceal an unsightly scene, as in enclosing utilitarian equipment, or announce another space: this is our place, as apart from the street, the pasture, as apart from our property, the garden, as apart from the yard. In all instances fences divide, enclose, exclude — the only invitation, the opening within them.

Any opening in the wall, fence, hedgerow invites visitors. Without it, there is no entry into the inner realm. Whether it’s as slim as a stile in a stonewall, or as expansive as the space that permits a truck’s entrance in the driveway, the opening is the statement that one is welcome to enter the place a fence has pronounced, with its presence, as a special, private, intimate one. We have many of these invisible gates in our lawn – either end of the corridor of the grape arbor, the trellis in another garden, the un-railed portion of the gazebo, a break in a row of shrubs.

A garden gate emphasizes the opening, the welcome, enhances the message the gardener wants to express. Consideration of design, therefore, is important and rests with the perspective of the visitor. Opening into garden rooms, the gate beckons us to the beyond, hence it suggests more strongly at what’s next than even the glimpse we get of the garden itself.

The materials we use for the gate follow the same principles we use when selecting a fence. Spilt rails, stockades, picket fences, stonewalls, wrought iron, brick – these coordinate with the property’s natural surroundings and its dominant structure – the house. The closer to the home, the more its architecture dictates the style, for example a house and its cottage garden hemmed in with a picket fence and accessed through a wooden gate. The further from the house and the closer to the environs, the more the natural world’s influences, such as a split rail fence and its rustic, corral gate opening onto a pasture. And though the gate must compliment the fence, its material and style are not as restricted. Walls of stone, brick, or shrubbery necessarily utilize different materials. Either wrought iron or wood are suitable and determine the formality of the garden more than the wall itself. A stone wall, for example, can be viewed as formal or informal, depending on its gate and its plantings. When considering the demarcation of boundaries, the gate, therefore, is part of the original deliberation.

The level of privacy and the degree of formality are the first considerations of a fence; these are usually prescribed by its purpose. Enclosing an outdoor living area is dependent on the amount of privacy desired around the pool, the patio, or the deck. A stockade fence affords the most privacy, and its gate either emphasizes it with solid panels, or lessens it with lattice or a window offering a small invitation. Similarly, the impenetrable hedgerows, tall stone or brick walls surrounding estates are usually embellished with wrought iron gates which provide the most formality, as well as a slight glimpse of the property. The least formal, the split rails, usually at the property’s perimeters, and the pickets, with their swinging wooden gates, often used to enclose a vegetable garden or to further the charm of the entrance to the house, are also the friendliest.

As in all structures and objects in the garden, from the weightiest wall to the tiniest wind chime, gates have a role as ornamentation. Ornate wrought iron elevates the elegance of the entire property. Picket fences have decorative effects on houses, though they are strong architectural features, particularly when painted white. Gates are always at least somewhat of a focal point, as visitors are drawn to them to reach the garden. Imagine the impact of a colorful gate in a stone or brick wall. Sometimes gates are works of art in themselves, enhanced with knobs, hinges, latches; a whimsical design hints at the delightfulness of the garden beyond. Gates can also compliment and contrast with gardens to strong visual effect. Envision a gate painted with a pale color opening into the darkness of the greenery beyond it, or a darkly colored gate contrasting with the brightness of the garden it leads to.

It is essential that fences and their gates blend harmoniously with the plants underlining, rising along, and sometimes splaying over them, the formality of the structure dependent in large part on the plantings. The sculptured, symmetrical plants framing the wrought iron gate in a brick or stone wall emphasize the invitation while maintaining the formality. Conversely, our stone wall is softened with ferns and hostas, the daffodils sprinkled at its feet in spring, and the basket of pansies at the entrance. The gate in a stockade fence can either emphasize the expectation of privacy if framed with firethorn or bearberry, or temper it with billowy, flowering shrubs such as viburnum or hydrangea. The message of the picket fence and gate opening into a cottage garden is furthered with cushions of catmint and lady’s mantle, spears of lupine and digitalis, twining clematis and roses. The least formal are split rails, their gates most commonly an opening in the fence, the naturalness of their construction necessitating native plantings, azaleas and honeysuckle, golden rod and daisies.

Gates serve important roles in our gardens. They strike the necessary balance between the privacy the fence evokes and the invitation the gate extends. Responsible for the transition between street and private property, lawn and field, yard and garden, gates consider the visitor’s view, rather than the gardener’s. Setting the tone of the space prior to entry, it’s the gate that tempts the guest to see, with a welcoming hint of it, what comes next.

Dayna McDermott

“Senior citizens fear losing their independence more than they fear death” from the study called “Aging in Place in America” commissioned by The EAR Foundation and Clarity

The U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines the concept of aging in place as: “the ability to live in one’s own home and community safely, independently, and comfortably, regardless of age, income, or ability level.” The majority of older Americans intend to live in their current home for as long as possible. Your decision to age in place may seem like an obvious and logical choice. Home not only connects us to people important to us, but can also give us a sense of place and belonging in our communities. Yet, only 1% of homes in the U.S. are conducive to aging in place but more than 75% of older American want to stay in their own homes.

Aging in place in a safe and well-maintained home has many benefits. It helps improve personal health, social interactions, and connections to community resources. Yet, aging in place is more than just planning to stay in your home. One has to look beyond housing: health and well-being, finances, transportation and social relationships. Many people believe they will be able to manage changes that might occur in their health and well-being but statistics show that approximately 70% will require help with their care at some point for an average of three years!

Aging in place design is firmly rooted in principles of universal design, which focus on creating environments that are safe and comfortable for people of any age. Home modifications can assist with independence and promote your ability to age in place. Fall prevention is a biggie! Falls are the number one cause of home injury and any hazards can be easily changed. Consider any changes before mobility becomes limited.

Better Homes and Gardens lists five Essential Home Design ideas to focus on:
• Rethink Stairs
• Get Smart about Lighting
• Plan for Adjustable Heights
• Focus on the Bathroom
• Take Advantage of Technology
Aging in place is a personal preference dependent upon a multitude of factors. It takes planning, looking at the supports and resources in the community and how much it will cost. The good news is that with the right help you may share the often-heard wish “I want to stay in my own home!”

Andrea Kaye and Peggy McKleroy, Co-Chairs, Hampton Senior’s Club Vision Committee

According to Attorney Daniel Tully, more than 65 million people in the U.S. care for a disabled, chronically ill, or aged family member. Most caregivers are over 50 years old. Being a caregiver is extremely stressful. While there is no way to completely remove a caregiver’s stress, there are ways to lessen it. Providing regular breaks for the caregiver can help to prevent burn-out.

Having a support system in place is one of the first steps in aiding a caregiver. Support groups are available, but often require the need to have someone stay with their loved one while attending a meeting. Friends and family can be good resources for help. The Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org) has a very informative web-site with tips to prevent caregiver burn-out.

Another resource is homecare agencies. Homecare aides can be hired with custom schedules that can meet caregiver needs. There is usually a two hour minimum. Some local agencies are: Day Kimball Homecare (860-928-5441), Community Companions and Homemakers (860-456-3626), Home Instead (860-896-5295), and Care Plus More (860-942-6157). As discussed in previous articles, medical insurance does not pay for these services. The CT Homecare Program for Elders (1-800-445-5394) or for veterans, the Aide and Attendance Program (americanveteransaid.com, 877-427-8065) may help to pay for some aide services for those who qualify.
Many assisted living facilities and nursing homes can provide respite care. The CT Statewide Respite Care Program may be able to cover some of the cost of this care. Find more information at CT.gov.

As soon as a loved one is in need of care, it is helpful to seek the advice of an attorney specializing in elder law. They can assist with putting important documents in place (Healthcare Representative, Power of Attorney, or conservator) that can be helpful as care needs increase. They can assist with financial planning as well. Long-Term Care policies are another good financial resource to help pay for care. The insurance company should be contacted to see if your loved one is eligible to file a claim. These policies usually pay a substantial amount toward care at home or in a nursing home.

Sometimes nursing home placement is the right choice. Attorney Tully writes that 80% of individuals will need nursing home care at some point in their lives. If you need more information or have questions, don’t hesitate to call Hampton’s Agent for The Elderly at 860-208-2430.

Jane Cornell

Bruce F. Chapel passed away on April 13 in the 77th year of his life. Born on August 11, 1945 in Hampton, son of the late Sherman and Hildred Chapel, Bruce was a life-long resident of our town. After graduating from Windham High he went on to Windham Tech to study television and radio repair and owned Bruce’s Electronics for many years. A proud Vietnam Veteran, Bruce served in the U.S. Army. Returning to Hampton, he met his wife Lorraine, and her two sons, Marc and Craig Kelley, who he loved as his own. He was also a volunteer fireman for the Hampton Fire Department. His warm smile, friendliness, and kind words will be missed by all who knew him.

Predeceased by his wife, his parents, his sister Dana Ameer, his granddaughter Annalise Kelley, and his niece Kate Chapel, Bruce is survived by his two stepsons, Craig and his partner Terry, and Marc and his wife Lois, his grandson Devon Kelley, and his granddaughter Casey Kelley Bazzano and her husband Frank, his sister Ann Garrett and his brother Clark Chapel and his wife Connie, his brother-in-law Al Ameer and his sister-in-law Joan Burnore, and many nieces and nephews.

Donations in Bruce’s honor may be made to the Hampton Fire Department.