The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1859-03-16
.MltoOleburp Rtoistrr.
M I d D l. T. B u r v /:
WEDNESDAY, MARCH JIG, 1859
The Fair Grounds.

people OF this county is, Shall the Addison
County Agricultural Society be endowed
with grounds and suitable fixtures for its
annual exhibitions, or shall VIC he con.
tented to let it forever remain squatter
on other peoples property It is a ques.
tion Of no mean importance,--one in
which ell the agricultural interests Of the
county are concerned, and one which mus,
be decided very soor.
Through the thoughtrnlncss Of few
gentleman lot hrs hccn secured. the
only lot suitable for the purpose, md sc.
cured expressly for the benefit Of the So.
eiety. This they now propose 10 fit up,
as Fair Grounds should 10 fitted. and rem.
70 the Society. or sell AZ the actual cost.
The question ,s. Do the people Of Addison
County care enough for, and hope enough
from the Society TO be Induced to put IL
upon footing of its own, which will &c.
cure its perpetuity and usefulness. against
every contingency 10 all time TO Gomez
The objections to tho plan of renting arc
too obvious TO need pointing out. They
ere seen and felt by every one, and the
plan will he adopted, If at all only be.
cause it is believed that no other is feast.
bic.
1t is not necessary to remark upon the
value Of this institution; this is univer.
sally understood and acknowledged; but
we fear that it is not sufficiently felt that
the permanent usefulness Of any institu.
ton depends upon suitable endowment
none the less with Agricultural Socie
ties than with Schools and Colleges.
In the present progress of agriculture,
these societies have become necessary in.
situations, and while they act as fostering
guardians to the industrial resources of
their districts, the Agricultural character
of the districts IL very fairly indicated
by the character and condition of the so.
cieties, And surely nothing would bet.
ter promote the reputation of Addison
County. than putting its Society on Sc.
cure ami ample basis. To do this, il is
estimated, will require $500, and the
method proposed is TO constitute Life.
Memberships on the payment of sl5-
these to guarantee TO the holder all the
privileges of membership without the usu
al annual payment. Tho people of Add.
son County are called upon to say wteth-
er they will do this and 10 il now.
Every civilized community is occasion.
ally called upon to make an unusual eff.
fort, and when certain objects are present.
ed they respond as though II were
matter Of necessity. The people of Adj.
son County have not been slack in provi.
ding scbool.houscs and churches, and when
these burn down, or by age become unfit
for use. they fill their places with new
and better ones. When they have been
called upon to assist in endowing schools
or the College they have met the call with
choerfulness AMI liboraliy. Now If the
people Of the county will put the Agricul'
tural Society upon the same list. where it
righifully belongs. the money will 10 forth
coming There is no lack Of ability; to
suppose such tbingis to insult every man
Of substance in The county. The Difficult.
~ if thoro ia any, is in making men feel
tbat,just nov, they are called upon to make
an unusual effort, and that by doing it
they do on honor tG the County and to
themselves, while-they place the Society
upon an ample and secure foundation /;
aud lot no one fear that more can he done
for the Society than it will repay. Let
this be treated 40 q matter Of duty as
matter of county and State pride, as
matter Of interest to yourselves and TO
tbose who are 70 como after You, Ifyou