Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1907-06-28
HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI MEETING.
Two Hundred Present Friday Evening
Interesting Remarks-committee TO Ar
RANGE Reunion Next Year.

range Reunion Next Year.
The alumni meeting held in the
high school building Friday night
formed a fitting close to a notable COM
mencement week. About 200 of the grad
yates of the Brattleboro high school,
including representatives of most of the
classes for the past Al years, gathered to
pledge anew their support and loyalty to
the school An alumni association was
started in the form of a committee rep
resenting various classes which will ar
range for future meetings as they see
fit. 1t was thought best not to attempt
any definite organization that night but
the response to the general invitation to
attend was so large that there was no
question about the support an alumni
association would receive. Some of the
representative graduates spoke briefly
before the committee was elected and at
the close many of the classes held re-
unions in the smaller rooms.
Clarence l.. Stickney, chairman of the
alumni committee. presided and after
calling the meeting to order called upon
Principal F.. Burr Smith for an eXplana-
ton of the needs as he saw them. Mr..
Smith spoke briefly and to the point. in
dcating how much a strong alumni assoc
citation could do in a material way for
the school in fostering athletics. by Of
fering suitable prizes as well as by sup
porting the school in all ways by stimu-
lating a public interest in it. lie hoped
to see some simple form of an alumni
association organized.
Z Col. C. A. Miles was then called upon
to tell of the old days in the high school.
Z He said that he was principal of the
high school 40 years ago, he was also the
faculty and to some extent the janitor.
In those old days the students did not
graduate, they simply got through when
they were ready. He felt that an alumni
nfaNf Nna do ~,
pledged himself to support it in every
possible way.
The next speaker called upon was Dr.
H. d. Holton, for 25 years member of
the school board, who explained that he
was not a graduate but had come to the
meeting from his great interest and be-
lief in the great good which the alumni
could do. He spoke Of the pride Brat
tleboro takes in her school and of the
financial support that rs given the school
committee in all its undertakings. One
of his stories was an amusing illustration
OF the spirit of the town. When the
Canal street school was built clock was
offered on condition that the school dis
trict buy a bell. The school committee
of which he was a member, found that a
bell could be secured for about 5000
and so reported to the school meeting
One citizen arose and moved that $500
be appropriated Another citizen moved
an amendment that the committee be in
sructed to purchase a bell at n cost not
to exceed $1,000. You all think that is
a pretty good bell said DIR. Holton,
but l will confess that we only paid
$500 for it after all"
The commencement speaker Ora F.
Butterfield of Detroit, was called upon
He said that the time was ripe for a
strong alumni movement and the present
time was unusually favorable with a
graduate of the school serving as its
OFinCinnl Ia W RI
he could give at a distance.
Attorney General Clarke c. Fits. an
other member of the class of 1886, was
the next speaker He recalled the old
days when he and his classmates were
going out to make over the world in full
confidence of their powers. He spoke
particularly on the power an alumni assO-
ciat ton would have as a stimulator of
public sentiment. 1t could do away with
the black disgrace" to Brattleboro Of
having the important business of the
school meeting transacted by a dozen or
fifteen citizens.
Carl Hollender a graduate of Amherst
college in 1906 and now a student in
Massachusetts, institute of Technology.
was called upon as a representative of
more recent class, 1901 He pledged the
support of the classes Of this century and
indicated his belief in the alumni move
mcnt.
Although all the speakers We're given
hearty applause, none received the oVu-
ton accorded to the last speaker Mrs
J. p. Elmer. So many of the alumni
present had been in her classes that the
feeling which prompted the applause was
a very personal one. Mrs. Elmer spoke
briefly recalling the old days i'm the
school and some Of the amusing things
which occurred
The program was varied with a song
and encore by Miss Emma Gregg which
made the audience wish for more
After the speeches Mr.. Stickney asked
for suggestions for forming an alumni
association and as none were forthcom-
ing the general alumni committee was
nominated and elected as follows: Prin-
cipal Il. Burr Smith, Miss Izetta NJ Stew
art. Mrs G.. Il, Warner. w. A. Gilbert
Miss Emma Lundberg, Mrs. II. c. Rice,
III. c. Freeman, Lawrence Barber and +.
Murray Frost, The classes were then
called upon to appoint secretaries. Those
selected were as follows: 1907 Miss
Lizzie M. Ranney; 1906, Clarence Thur
her; 1905, Arthur Clapp; 1901, Miss Mary
Frost 1903 Mrs. Harry Nelson; 1902, not
represented; 1901, Carl Hollender 1900,
Miss Mabel Hunt; 1899, Miss Mabel APP
pin; 1895 Mrs II. c. Freeman; 1897, Miss
Ethel GOodale 1896, Mrs II. c. Rice;
1895, Miss Florence Thurber; 1894, Miss
Florence Pratt; 1898, Miss Florence Allen;
1892 Miss Florence Fits; 1891, w. A
Gilbert; 1890 c. L. SticiSney; 1889, Mrs
Z. l.. Stlckneyi 1888, MISS Edith Stolte;
1887 Miss Florence Clark; 1886, Miss
Annie Cain; 1885, Miss Izetta Stewart;
1882, Miss Sarah Benson; 1880 Mrs. F.
b. Smith; 1873 Miss Della NJ. Sherman
1877, Francis w. Nichols 1874, Mrs. j.
ID. Barrows; 1878, Thomas Judge; 1872
Mrs A. II. Harvey; 1871, j. c. Pellet;
1866. Mrs. e. ii. Putnam.
The plan is for the class secretary to |
secure the names of every member of |
his class now in town and have the list |
ready whenever notices of a reunion are |
to be sent out. Herbert b. Chamberlain, |
Mrs. Elmer and Mrs. Il. H. Putnam |
were elected a committee on all classes |
previous to 1866. Mr.. Chamberlain was |
secretary of the old alumni association |
and has much valuable material from
which to compile old graduate lists. The |
general committee will call a meeting |