Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1908-05-22
The Village Improvement Society

The Village improvements Society.
The directors met Wednesday the 18th
inst, to consider the report sent by Mr..
f. A. Waugh of Amherst Agricultural
College, Mass, whose services as land
scape gardener they had engaged.
MIR. Waugh spent May End in Middle
bury, the ladies paying for his travelling
expenses, S16 SO and $1,000 for his pro-
fessional report. He spent the day look
ing over the ground with view to sug-
costing immediate and permanent i'm
provements.
He was interviewed by the following
women of the society: Mrs. Burrage,
Pres, Mrs. Smith Beckwith, Vice Pres,
Mrs. S. S. Eddy, Treas, Mrs. Hadley,
Sec, Mrs. Carr and Mrs. McGilton and
by the following from the Advising COM
mittee, the Rev. Father Shannon, DIR.
Martin, DIR. Noble, Prof. Wright and
Prof Sanford.
Mr.. Waugh was greatly impressed by
the natural beauty of our village and its
surroundings.
1t is the desire of the women to CO.
operate with the village trustees in every
particular. They will take no step with
out the consent and approval of the viii
lage authorities. Moreover they earn
estly desire that every adult citizen of
Middlebury take an interest in Improve
ment and that as many as possible be-
come members of the society so that
the voice and vote of all may be infu-
entail in bringing about the greatest pos
sible good to the greatest number.
If each house occupier would own or
obtain the use of lawn-mower in COM
mon with his neighbors the village would
be Immediately benefited, because not
only the yards of the homes but the
generous pieces of grass bordering al
most all of our village streets could then
be easily kept smoothly cut and in good
condition.
Every bit of public and private grass in
town could be made an ornament to the
village at very little trouble and expense
if each. holder would NOV in front of
his own doorstep.
Also if citizens would conscientiously
refrain from dropping note paper in the
parks and streets it would be great steI
in advance for the general neatness Of
the appearance of our beautiful village.
The report follows:
To the Middlebury Improvement Society
Middlebury, Vermont.
At your invitation l visited Middle
bury on Saturday, May 2, and made al
extended study of various questions which
you brought to my attention. Some sug
gestions were made to you verbally a
the time of this visit, but the following
written report will set forth more clearly
my views on the questions raised.
THE VILLAGE PARK OR COMMON.
The tract known as the park or com
mon in Middlebury is an irregular piece
of land lying between the town hall anC
the Addison house and running from thu
end of Washington street on the east tt
the end of Main street on the west. 1t il
crossed near the west end by the RUTLAND
railroad and the Episcopal church stand
on the northwest side of the area. Thi
irregular in grade, and very badly cut VI
with intersecting drives and walks.
| am informed that this village park be
| longs to the town of Middlebury al
though it is supported and improvement
are made from time to time by the villag
corporation. There seems to be no ex
pectation that the town itself will eve
undertake any further Improvements il
thepark or that they will care to exer
else any further control over it. !
} seems to me that it would be the part O
wisdom under these circumstances to sc
cure legal transfer of the propert
from the town to the village trustees
This may prevent some very awkwar
: situations arising in the future.
In order to secure the quiet dignife
effect so greatly to be desired in villag
e green, and SO well secured in certai
: New England villages, it is desirable t
have tract of more regular outline, c
more even grade, and less cut up
paths and walks 1t is probably impos
sble at this time to change the outlin
of the Middlebury park. Probably ther
will never be any opportunity in the fl
e ture when the outlines can be much in
o proved by additional purchases. W
i may as well consider this feature of tn
4 park settled. In like manner the grade
r can never be changed except in minC
. details. Such minor Improvements {
: can be made by leveling small areas an
generally smoothing out the grad,
q should be made as rapidly as Giro III
e stances permit; and every proper effo
t should be directed toward maintaining
n good stand of grass over the whole par
Q This grass should be kept moved througl
q out the summer with a lawn mower.
A few trees could be removed from Il
PiCoChe pam ooNoheoeOOooiJs pPCCi
4 attention may be directed to the clun
Just southwest of the Addison hou
| where number of small and inferi
| trees are competing with one anothe
| At least half of these trees should be r
| moved at once. In other places fe
i inferior trees could be taken out leavir
/ more room for better specimens. In pa
/ ticular / would recommend the remov
/ of the few small and unsatisfactory pin
/ and spruces scattered about the par
/ These detract materially from the go,
/ looks of the place. l would also recor
/ mend the removal of the writing mou
tain ash which stands just back of ii
Episcopal church. This specimen is f
from ornamental and it is distinctly o
of place in its present prominent loo
ton.
/ There being no open lawn on the v
lage park, and no opportunity to devel
one, 1t seems proper to keep the who
\ fairly xuall fnIanfad 70 oha1a traao M.