The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1907-08-09
DEDICATION OF
PETITE LIBRARY
Governor Proctor Speaker at Exer
cises in Wilmington wednesday
Evening-Mr. Pettee Himself
Unable to Be Present.

The dedication of the Pettee Memorial
library took place in Child's Memorial
hall Wednesday evening and the exercises
were carried out most pleasantly and sue
cessfullv. The evening was delightful ana
the hall was filled to its capacity. Eli
II. Porter in behalf OF the building com
mittee and as one OF the library trustees,
asked j. II. Kidder to act as chairman
for the evening. Rev. A. \. Blackboard
invoked Divine favor upon the exercises.
Mr.. Kidder explained that 1t had been
intended to have the exercises IN June but
Thai Mr.. Pettee was not able to be pres
emit. 1t had been most confidently eN'
pccted that he would be present upon tins
occasion but a telegram announced that
it was impossible. 1t was a great dlsap
pointment to all
O. L. Butterfield was then introduced
and. in behalf of the town accepted the
gift. He spoke of the great benefits thai,
would arise from the library to old and
Young, that here all might come and ma
theI favorite authors-in poetry, history
science, law or literature, and SAYING IN
closing that Lyman F. Pettee had buiided
better than he knew. Charles II, Parma
le, read a letter from Austin ii. Wat
son and one from John II. Flagg express
ln9 the hlgneSt dlpletldtlull "a NV NUM-
act on the part of Mr.. Pettee.
Governor Fletcher d. Proctor was then
introduced and made an excellent and
aurropriatc address. His central thought
was along the line Of citizenship, urging
NOR all the duties resting upon them
in this direction. Every sentence wa
frought with meaning and the address
was listened to with the deepest inter
est.
Fred 4. Flagg of Troy, n. Y, was then
introduced as one who 10 years ago was
voungster upon the street looking iof
fun and frolic. He kept the audience in
good humor and paid tribute to Mr.. Pet
tee Rev. J. Duke King made interest
ing remarks. saying that he was not
Vrrmonter but that he married Yer
mont woman. Rollin S. Childs referred
to the past and read the names of many
of the old residents who were prominent
in social affairs 30 and 80 years ago. c
d. Spencer of Shelburne Falls, Mass,
spoke well, as he always does, referring
to the characteristics which have even
been present in the town.
John W. Redmond of Newport, char
man of the railroad commission. was the
last speaker of the evening and made one
OF the longest addresses of the occasion
emphasizing and enforcing the trulsm that
YOU cannot get something for nothing and
that you must pay for what you get. The
hour being late the chairman said that
he should be obliged to conclude the eN
ercises. After selection of music by the
quartet composed of Miss Mabel Medbury
| Miss Thurber H. L. Bray and Merlin, +
| Barber who rendered several fine selec
tions during the evening, the entire au
dience passed to the front and shooF
hands with the governor.
Had the time been sufficient Other
speakers would have deferred to those 9th
or sons and daughters who have made
Gifts to the town, notably John H. Flagg
4. P. Childs r. S. Childs, Miss Maudit
Stone and Others they would have re
! ferred to the great reunions of 1890 anc
! 1900 and traced the outcome of these not
able gatherings. The idea of Old Home
week originated in Wilmington and wa
most successfully carried out here year,
before it was taken up in New Hamp
shire as has been published so many times
Fine instrumental music was rendered
for the occasion by Briggss orchestra o
| North Adams Among out-of-town vlsi
tors were f. w. Childs, II. Z: Taylor
Gcolge H. Bond and E. w, Gibson o
| Brattleboro. s. HOLSTER Jackson O
Barre and many people from nearby
! towns.