A few years ago, our town’s only elementary school closed because there were so few students that a decision was made to send those who were left to a neighboring town. And since then, student numbers in the combined school have continued to plummet. To me, that’s an indication of a dying community—one that is not going to be transformed by the growing number of urbanites from New York who are buying second homes here. Indeed, in a recent town survey, second-home owners made it clear that the biggest reason they like it here is the town’s rural character, which they don’t want to see change.
