The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1907-07-05

caused no little interest and resulted as
follows:
loo.yard dash-First, Manley- Adams;
second c. S. Newcomb,
Running broad jump-first, Manley
Adams: second, II. Benson.
| Putting the shot-First, James Dexter;
second. h. 5. Grout.
Sack race-First, Ii. J. Morse; second,
! c. S Newcomb.
22O-yard dash-First, Nanley Adams;
second, \. W. Redway
Running high jump-first, Manley
Adams; second, A. w. Redway.
Standing high iump-Flrst, ii. Benson;
second, James Dexter.
ond c. S. Newcomb
Standing broad jump-First, II. Ben
SON. second, Manley Adams.
| Al - o'clock dinner was served to
big crowd in the banquet hall and at
O'clock began the dedication exercises of
tthe new hall which was crowded to its
utmost capacity. After the invocation
James NJ. Gleason made the formal pre-
sentation of the new building, speaking
very briefly of his love for his native
town and the pleasure he took IN max
| ing the gilt
Mr.. Fittss Speech of Acceptance.
| speak in behalf of the people OF
| Wardsboro; that means more than those
who now abide here. 1t means all OF us
who are of the town, who have pride IN
| its past, who have pleasure in its present,
and who have faith in its future. We all
of us sincerely appreciate this generous
gift: its substantial worth we know Is
! yery large. The town hall is the town
! 1
us hope, will the freemen of Wardsboro
gather every year to exercise that PRIV
/ lege which makes men free, to rule them
selves. Here shall be recorded as the
years 90 by what the succeeding genera
| tions shall do to keep alive the govern
ment. to preserve the ORDER guard the IN,
! terests, the rights and the property OF
| this municipality. Here let us hope shall
be housed library filled by the generous
action of the town and by the bountltul
provision of its sons and daughters, with
good books; place of profit and source
of pleasure for the boys and girls and
men and women who shall make tins
| town their home. Here will be the center
of the social life of the community, the
amateur dramatics and the lively dance.
| And here will rise odors from the best
drawing card of all-the bounteous sup,
|
| the men shall eat.
The cradle of American liberty was the
| New England town meeting The great
educating forces for self government were
the debates and discussions in those early
! davs in the town houses of Massachu.-
setts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and
Connecticut. when the American idea was
taking form and shape. Among the
earliest republics were the little towns OF
the New Hampshire grants, all almost In
sight of the high hills of Wardsboro,
where the yeomen met and organized the
local governments which were, within the
realms they served, supreme. Within the
borders of this county there were at one
time towns whose town government was
the sole and the highest authority It's
people knew. The town unit IN the con
stitution of our state was ordained by
those who had seen or lived under such
government as that. 1t is unshakable
and immovable as part of our organic
law. And so the town house is the lit
tie capitol, the seat of government, and
its quality cannot fail to affect the re-
spect and regard which the people have
for the law and the government. we
Judge by comparison. So this building
is for Wardsboro, noble in its dimensions,
generous in its appointments, and worthy
of the highest civic pride. The people
who live in Wardsboro, the people who
love Wardsboro, the people who hope for
the best for its future, are proud OF this
new town hall. :,
But. sir; far and above the material
munifcence of this gift, we thank you
The spirit in which you have, given it,
the example which your magnificent gen.
erosity may serve, the pride it may en-
kindle. the affection it may awaken, the
hopes it may revive, are the best portion