Common Bookstore offers new and used books
By Catherine Brett
Norwich Guidon Staff Writer
The new Northfield Bookstore, located on the common,
offers buyers new and used books, as well as the possibility of consignment.
(Bishop photo) |
Offering a 10 percent discount to all students, teachers and churches,
the two-month old Northfield Bookstore has become a hit with town residents
and Norwich students.
Located in the heart of downtown Northfield, the bookstore specializes
in new and used books say co-owners Dillon Peachout and Kathryn Leffel.
"We give you a quarter of what we think we can sell it for in cash or
half of what we can sell it for in store credit. That can be applied to
anything in the store as well as (special) ordering," said Leffel explaining
the used-book policy.
If a book is not in stock or needs to be special ordered, the store
does so for a very reasonable price.
New books have no shipping charge, are ordered on Wednesdays and usually
come in within the next 24 hours. Used books may take a couple days more
and cost less than $5, according to Leffel.
Many different genres of writing grace the shelves, including "fiction,
mystery, scifi, history, religion, cookbooks, gardening, art, architecture,
children's books, parenting books, and we have cards and records,"
Peachout said.
Leffel said architecture books have been a hot commodity, especially
among Norwich students. The records and cards are popular as well.
Both owners loved the location in Northfield, seeing Norwich University
as a possible boon to business. "If it could support two flower shops,
it could support a bookstore," Peachout said.
The shop exudes relaxation with its comfortable seating and complementary
coffee and tea.
"We really want people to think about this place as a place to hang out
as much as it is a place to buy books," Peachout said.
"I've been in the bookstore three times, already. It definitely has
promise," said Ben Hannur, 21, a junior communications major from Connecticut.
Hannur said the Northfield Bookstore can help reduce prices on books
that students need for classes.
The two owners are thinking about doing a used textbook swap, where
students would be able to bring in used textbooks and consign them with
the store.
"I hope that it will benefit the students," said Norwich University
Bookstore manager Barbara Bernardini about the consignment idea.
"We are eager to learn what they're looking for," Leffel said.
The Northfield Bookstore is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5:30
p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
After several voter attempts:
Northfield school district passes budget
By Shandra Plourde
Norwich Guidon Staff Writer
The Northfield School Board voted on the school district budget
three times this year to accommodate approximately 60 changing votes,
according to the chairmen.
Every year the board evaluates the needs of over 800 students
in its kindergarten through twelfth grade system and then prepares
a budget for town approval. There are "three big areas that we look
at for budgeting," said School Board Chairwoman Debra Wick. "We
look at the needs of our students, the commitments that we've already
made to our employees through the contracts and capitol projects,"
such as building upkeep and upgrades in technology.
Initially, the school budget was approved on town meeting day,
but within the next month, five percent of voters signed and registered
a petition requiring its recall.
The second budget was once again defeated, which came as little
surprise because it was "exactly the same budget," Wick said.
"The board didn't have a clear indication from the community whether
this was a good budget," Wick explained. "We were forced at that
point to put another budget forward."
The board reduced its original budget by approximately $154,000,
Wick said, and placed it before the community in June. The budget
finally passed.
"We did make some minimal cuts. We tried very hard not to make
cuts that were too deep into our programs," Wick said. To trim the
budget, the district was forced to cut funding for cocurricular
activities and classroom supplies. This will result in students
doing more fundraising than in past years. The only program completely
eliminated was the summer driver's education class.
In another step to trim the budget, the board used refinancing
to reduce interest payments on construction bonds and decided not
to fill three nonessential, vacant positions left by faculty who
chose to retire or move to other districts.
"I don't think that it's noticeable in the sense that they (the
students) are missing anything significant in their education,"
said Wick. "Some of them actually have new classes this year."
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Hunting season opens in Vermont
By Paul Pimental
Norwich Guidon Staff Writer
Norwich hunters were locked, loaded and ready for their first shot
of the season when it began the first weekend of October. Matthew
Anderson, 20, a junior communications major from Clearwater, Fla.,
began preparations for the opening days over a month ago by trimming
trees, spotting deer and starting feed piles. "I usually like to
feed them some corn so they're nice and healthy and for the ones
I don't kill, so they can go into the winter with a nice fat layer,"
Anderson said.
For many Norwich students, hunting has been passed down through
family generations.
"I've been going with my father and at least sitting in the tree
stand with him since I was about 3 years old," Anderson said.
Albie Borne, 20, a junior criminal justice major from Berlin, Vt.,
had his most memorable moment five years ago when he was out with
his father. The pair were sitting on a log when they heard something
behind them.
"As I turned around, a deer jumped over the log right at me and
met me nose to nose," Borne said. "At the time I had a 20-gauge
shot gun and I shot the 101-pound doe as it looked me right in the
face no more than 10 yards away from me."
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