The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1894-03-30
SKETCH OF THE W. G. T. u, OF
BENNINGTON.

Temperance Union of Bennington was
organized. In looking over the records
of these years, we find that the average
attendance was mrrh laroer at first, and
the ladies engaged more actively in the
work than at present. There were four
mass meetings held the first year. Two
all-day prayer meetings were held not
long after, commencing at a. m. and
ending at o'clock p. m.
In 1877 Hill and Hall, two of Murphy's
co-workers, held series of meetings, at
which crowds signed the pledge. Our
and also expended $40 for pledges and
badges. Later on Francis Murphy came
and aroused the people to high state of
enthusiasm. Saloons were visited by
different ladies, and so strong was pub
lie sentiment, most of them were closed.
A reading and reform club was organ
lied, which held meetings every Monday
evening,-ladies assisting IN the exer-
cises. A temperance school was COM
menced and run successfully one season.
The children were taught from the tenn
perance catechism, and nearly all of
them signed the pledge. Twelve of the
best temperance lecturers in the country
had been invited by our Union to ad-
dress the people, beside Francis Murphy,
his co-workers, and othe who have
held series of meetings. And every year
one or more mass meetings have been
held in the different churches, which
have been largely attented.
A series of Bible readings we're con-
Quoted every afternoon for two weeks by
Miss Vincent of Brooklyn. These meet
ings were very helpful and instructive.
During the week of prayer in 1891, our
Union arranged for four morning meet
ings, which were SO interesting the pas
tors asked that they might be continued.
Flowers were sent to the officers of the
State militia at the time of the encamp-
ment here, and they have been given on
other public occasions. Over $500
have been expended for pledges, badges
and Temperance literature. Ten dollars
were given to promote the interests of
the Reform Club.
When the Law and Order League we've
doing such effective work in closing the
saloons, our Union gave them $40 to
assist in carrying on the prosecutions.
Vigorous efforts were made by our mem
bers for the introduction of Temperance
text books into the public schools and
one of our ladies, in a report of the Ju-
venile work of the State, suggested that
children should be taught temperance in
the day schools, long before the work
was taken up by Mrs. Hunt National
Superintendent of Scientific Temperance
Instruction. A strong petition to the
business men of the town, drafted in our
Union and signed by thirty of our young
men, was printed and distributed in diff.
ferent parts of the town, and at a tenn
perance picnic one 10th of August, which
was very largely attended aud enjoyed
by both old and young. Through the
efforts of our society, after several visits
made at the Aims House, furnace was
put in and other comforts, including re-
ligiOus services, were added for the in
mates. The Jail has been visited fire.
Quently. Our committee reported at the
last meeting that there had been eighty
two inmates during the year and the
jailer informed her that 'drink' was the
cause of nearly all the crime. Temper
ance leaflets and papers have been freely
given at both Jail and Aims House. They
have been distributed upon election and
Decoration days-at the schools and
churches and from home to home. Pack
ages have also been sent to the Father
Matthew Society.
Our treasurer's book shows that S77S.-
% have been received by the Union. At
the annual meeting held March 9th,
there was balance on hand of twenty
five cents. One half of the annual fees
go to the State and National Union.
The rest has been spent mostly for TEN.
perance literature, for room rent. jani-
tors services and for lectures. Coffee
has been served at several fires and S92.-
"a have been received for lunches sold on
election days. When the rooms of the
7. M. q. A. were furnished, our presi-
dent solicited funds to the amount of $40
and purchased linoleum for the amuse-
ment room, and at the formal opening
our ladies served refreshments to over
400 people. During the last year our in
terest has been \centered in the Ensor
Cure. To the $S2 which was collected
at the mass meeting held for the benefit
of this Institute, sufficient amount was
added from our treasury to give four
men $25 each to take the treatment, and
when this is repaid we hope to send
Others. In December, w. H. Spear, a
temperance evangelist, was invited to
hold meetings every night for one week. |
1t was time of much sickness, and the |
pastors upon whose help we had relied,
were unable to be present. The meet
ings were greatly enjoyed by those who |
had the privilege of attending them.
Until 1889 we paid our annual dues to
both State and National Union, and |
sometimes used the funds of our treas
ury to send delegates to conventions.
AT State meeting held at Woodstock in
1888, the Unions by small majority, de-
cided to ally themselves to a political |
party and to Woman's Suffrage. The |
Bennington Union had strongly opposed |
this movement for several years, but |
was Over-powered. Not being in sympa-
thy with politics and Woman's Suffrage |
in our temperance work, we declared |
ourselves independent and remained SO
until 1890, when nOn-partisan State Or
ganizatiOn was formed to which we al |
lied ourselves.
Our regular meetings are held every
second ,and fourth Tuesday of the |
month, twenty-five having been held
last year. The attendance is not |
large and we meet with many
djscouragements. Perhaps the |
hardest thing to bear is the
oft repeated expression: "What does
your work amount to, anyway"
In reply we would ask: "What have
you done to make it success?" There
are women in this town who have plenty
of time for all the social amusements,
whose husbands, brothers and sons are
going to destruction through strong