Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1902-09-04
.BR0OKFIELD'S
TOWN HALL.
HANDSOME NEW EDIFICE DIED.
IcAIED LAST WEEK.
Town and Masonic Lodge Joined In
Its Building. --filstorical Sketches
of Structure, Public Library and
of the Town Addresses and Fes-
tivities of the Day.

1 VI 81 ate
of the Town Addresses and FEES.
tivities of the Day.
On Thursday last. Brookfeld celebrated
the completion OF its new town hall.
Dedicstory exercises, lasting all day, were
largely attended by Brookfield's own
townspeople, and by not few from out OF
town.
The hall is located on the main street,
opposite the hotel, and very convenient
OF access. The building is blending Of
the old and the new. The portion 'front.'
/ ing the street has been used many years
for public purposes, having within il two
good sized halls. occupied by the Masons,
Eastern Star, Post, Relief Corps, Good
| Templars and Grange; also corridors and
cloak rooms. This old part has been
ireyamped to make il harmonic with the
new addition, which is in the form OF a
large ell part in rear, access 10 il being
had from the street by passing through
the entrance OF the old part.
The hall proper is large enough for
every purpose and modern in all its APP
pointments. Its walls and ceilings are
OF hard pine, natural finish. II has q
smooth hardwood floor. At the rear
end is raised platform or stage. All
the chairs, tables and furniture are new.
The hall is well lighted with windows ON
three sides, and has a handsome chande-
lier.
Downstairs, there is large dining
hall, with a well-appOinted kitchen con-
nected. There is also a room devoted to
the historic Brookfield library, with
shelves for the volumes. The building
has its own spring Of cold water.
II is just such a structure as Brookheld
and every other town needs, for library,
social and literary purposes.
The hall on Thursday was neatly
trimmed inside, flags and bunting, with
pots OF golden-rod and clematis, adding
TO the freshness. The Grand Army post
had part in the decorations.
The exercises began al II o'clock, az /
which time the hall was well filled /
tary, which was followed by a chorus |
selection, in which the following took /
part:-R II. Abercrombie, g. H., &. A.. /
l.. +. and Arthur Bigtlow, J. NJ. Angel. /
Hal Dewey, Mrs. n. r. Durkee. Miss 4
Ethel Dewey, Mrs. Crossett, Mrs. Ruth /
Angel, Mrs. w. W. sprague, Mrs. Arthur
Bigelow, Mrs. W. II. Sprague, Miss Bessie
Panton, with Miss Gertrude Jackson at
the piano.
J. W. Blakebrough, chairman OF the
on dedication, gave the address
lf welcome. He sketched the history OF
he building project briefly, and gave due
,redit to j. w. Untiedt, the superinten-
lent, and Mr.. Sargent, the master builder
His greeting Of the audience was OF a
cordial nature.
Hon. Marcus Peck gave a historical
ketch Of the building, which proved
'ery interesting. Fifty-two wears ago.
when Brookiield was much larger and
,usier place than now, there was
hortage of tenements. Aaron Cleveland,
hen prosperous trader at the present
'armenter stand, started a tenement
Iouse on this site. lie got the lumber in
art from buildings then standing In East
IoXbury and WilliamstOWn. Elmon 4
lorse, who was present al this dedica- (
ion, helped lay the foundation for the !
Id house. Before the structure was
nished, Mr.. Cleveland failed. His bus
ness had been very large. People came
-om towns around as far as Moretown 10
-ade with him. Brookfield itself had
bout 1900 population, almost double
hat II now has. But things changed
18th the building OF the railroad, and the !
,wn and Mr.. Cleveland suffered. At the
Iilure, II. X. Stevens took a deed OF con-
derable property, including this un-
nished tenement, which he completed at
J expense OF 500. He rented il for sew :.
al years, but without profit. After =
Is death, IL was sold to Mystic Star
odge, F. and A. NJ, for $500. The lodge Z
tered Il, making its tenements into halls
Id library quarters. At the last town
Getting, II was voted to accept a propos- :
ION from the Masonic lodge that II the y
wn would appropriate 1900 for the pur- y
,se the lodge would build the town hall y
ID give its free use for town purposes. y
his has been done successfully, and
-ookfield has a hall that is a source Of u
lde. IL Is not expected 10 be a source :.
profit TO anybody, but win be one OF -
ose public utilities that modern times r.
mand. IL
A ,,,aIa ,,,,o-.a..a ,~...,s..o.a - A. | II
A., l.. Z. and Arthur Bigelow and Hal =,
.wey, sang a selection. =.
Miss Anna Clark read a well-considered u
storical sketch Of the town library il | -.
ing fitting time, as she said. when a =.
Re and permanent abiding place had ~
en- provided for its sacred volumes, to ~ ~
I its story. g
Rev. Elijah Lyman and Others unknown y
re the originators OF the Brookfield -.
'rary idea. At that early time, there III
re but few libraries OF any kind, and ~
ne just like the one here founded. The I,
ookfield library is the oldest one In i IN
rmont. Its next meeting will number 20
9 445th, without single break. II was ~
ablished June :, 1921. m
The constitution as originally drawn up "
forth the design Of the institution, and =
IS followed by articles OF agreement. -
e purpose OF the library was declared TO
.to promote useful knowledge and '"
'ty, 10 which all the parties bound
emselves ssto act in all their conduct ~
sreto," and "never to introduce into it
V book or books but such as are adapted uN
that end Books from the very first ~ ~
We been and still are most carefully Sc y.
ted to these ends. IN
The company was empowered to purge e
elf of inimical members such having ~
: right to claim payment for their ~
ares, which was fixed in value at Is u
filings. Members have occasionally ~
thdrawn, taking their shares in books. N
ON the first, the library was regarded as az
took company designed for mental and ou
ritual profit only, and provision was
de for the transfer OF shares by will and ~
I, which has been frequently done. W
The constitution required that the Ii ar
Try should always be kept in the town GO
though members miRht be ne
nitted from other towns, in fact. have
IN admitted. At first the treasurer was 30
liged to furnish a bond of $1,000, but ~
S was later reduced to 800. pr
he plan was and still is to have library ca
etings once in three months. to which
the members brought whatever books so
y had taken out at the previous meet M
!, under penalty Of fine II they failed. orr
en- the books were divided again among =