Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-05-08
Village Improvement.

We hope general interest will be shown in
this town in the informal movement which
was instituted on Arbor day for the formation
of a Village Improvement society. Such
society, and the work it may do, is not mat
ter of interest to any certain individuals or
any section of the town alone it is of univer-
sal interest. 1t cannot be a success unless
all parts of this village, at least, become in.
terested in it. Nature has dealt so literally
with few towns as she has with Brattleboro.
The name and fame of the town, because of
her natural beauty, are widely known. 1t is
hardly beyond bounds to say that concerted
action on the part of her citizens might in a
few years convert the place into the most
charming residence village in New England.
The work which such society might do is
many sided. On the side of utility, to begin
with, it might have an eye to the condi-
ton of the streets and sidewalks and do much
to see that bad places are mended and extern
sions and improvements made. 1t could do
very much toward gradually getting rid of
unsighty places and objects, and toward the
planting of trees and introducing other orns-
mentatoD. One of the most important
features of its work would be in looking after
sanitary matters and seeing that no condition
of things dangerous to the public health was
allowed to exist in any part of the village.
1t would be entirely within the scope of the
society to appoint committees which should
look after and encourage the introduction of
new business enterprises into our village.
Tho public library would be one of its prop
oh and Nba onoiafxy MIGHT falra hold
of the work of erecting the long-talked-of Ii
brary building. Entertainments in aid of
the work of the society might be provided,
and no better feature could be added than the
formation of classes of young folk for the
study of rural and door subjects. Ulti-
mately the work of the society, if joined in
30 generally as ought to be the case, would
reach out to cake hold practically of the sub
ject of forestry itself.
We are aware that the work we have out,
lined is a broad one-so broad that it is not
likely TO be Immediately realized under the
most favorable circumstances But in making
these suggestions, we have had the fact stead
lily in mind, as our readers must do, that the
most important work and influence of a vii
lage improvement society would lie in the
general interest in this subject which i
would arouse-in the spirit of improvement
which it would awaken and cultivate.
II would be helpful if we could present il
this connection a record of the important worl
which improvement societies have accom-
plished in other New England towns. For
tunAtely, however what we lack in this par
ticular will be supplied in the lecture whiol
Mr.. Northrop has been engaged to give il
the town hall next Tuesday evening. Il
Mr.. Northrop the whole subject is a familia
one, and his lecture will be both entertain
ing and practical, furnishing all the suggest
ions in the direction here limited at that GU
people will need. In local paragraph We hay
expressed the hope, which we here repeal
that the outcome Of the meeting on Tuesda
evening will be the formation of societ
which shall embrace in its membership nc
this village alone, but the whole town. Th
West Brsttleboro people, through their ow
village improvement society, have man
things TO teach The East village in this matte