The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1872-04-02
From the Express and staudar,
MiddIebury, Vermont.

Having recently visited this place, the
shire town of Addison County, | take the
liberty of sending you few notes, by
the way. According to history, the first
log house built in Middlebury was erected
in l713, about one hundred years ago.
The place contains 30S6 inhabitants ac-
cordlng to the last census. To the minds
of many its chief notoriety is in the fact
that it was the home of the justly famous
breeder of merino sheep, Hon. Edwin
Hammond. The town lies both sides of
the Otter Creek, and is mostly available
for farming purposes and indeed very
good soil. The village is scattered over
so much ground that most houses have a
good garden attached. Several manu-
features have recently been put in oper-
alton but it is only beginning of what
is to be, if the water power is ever all
used.
n paper mill, where old news papers
and books are re-worked into new white
sheets, is busy running out-material, thin
for cheap daiies or thick for books and
papers Of the best quality. We saw here
specimen OF pulp made from pine shaw
ings at Burlington, and hope is entertain
ed that good paper will be made from this
material. Close by is a door factory
where about $500 doors are made in a
month. From each planer square tube
rises to the top Of the room and away to
the paper mill, the shavings are drawn
up and conveyed through this spout to
feed the fires that are so essential in dry.
ing the paper rapidly. In another room
was machine for making statuary. l
received the impression that this machine
has been lately invented and is designed
to form from block of marble very
tolerable likeness to the human features.
1t may result in making it less costly to
adorn grounds and buildings with statua.
ry.
We then visited the counting room OF
the Mlddlebury woolen company where
upon the shelves and counter were more
than twenty kinds of cloth from flannel
soft and nice to the thick, heavy, well
finished piece that would give satisfaction
to either laborer or gentleman who wish
for serviceable goods. In this manufact.
ory which has been running only three
months, they have worked in the last two
months, over twelve thousand pounds o.
wool; no shoddy is used here. Most o.
the wool used here was, l understand
bought in the vicinity, and it seems very
reasonable that there should be wooden
mill in a section so justly famous for it:
valuable focks of sheep. These new in
dustries are looked upon with much inter
est by the citizens of the place and mus
if well managed, conduce to the benefi
of every man. Considerable credit i.
given to the energy and good management
OF y. Severance, who has done much t
start these industries around a watel
power that for years was almost unused
Middlebury should, however, fee
prouder Of her schools than her mauufact
ures. Wool. marble and wood sink low
in comparison with the value of children
whose minds can be improved more b.
proper training and education than am
material by manufacture. A beautiful
largo brick school-house, three storie
high, and that cost $4,000, stands to
wards the west side of the village, not ia
from the large college buildings, Througl
the kindness of A. j. Sanborn, Principal
of the school, and formerly a resident o
this county, was shown through thi
building before the scholars came togeth
er in the morning, and also after the
we're in there places. The rooms are un
locked and the teachers present twent
minutes before nine and three minutes al
ter nine the doors are locked again.
any scholar is tardy he must 20 to tn
Principal to make explanation. In TWEEN
ty-three minutes 800 scholars come in an
take their seats in their several depart
ments. Some terms about 400 attend.
On the first floor as we go in at fror
door on the east side we find in the south
east corner school No. where the scho
:. ars are taught reading, spelling and prin
ing letters with pencil. In south.we,
t corner is school No. 2, where the instru,
: tion advances; across the hall to the nortl
west corner is school No. 8, where col