Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-06-01
CITY
HALL DEDICATED
Scholarly Address by ]. A. De
Boer Feature of Exercises
Dance Ends Holiday.

Montpelier. May 26.--Montpelier's new
$4,000 city hall was dedicated this after
noon with public exercises. general
suspension of business and public dance
tonight Practically every place Of bust
ness closed at one O'Clock and the hall
was filled when the exercises began.
on the platform we're the members Of
the city hall building committee the city
council, and many former officials of the
city.
The exercises were opened with prayer
by the Rev W. ]. O'Sullivan. after which
H. j. NJ. Jones, for the building com
mittee, presented the keys Of the hall TO
Mayor 8. s. Ballard. with a short ad-
dress in which he reviewed the work Of
the committee and commended the hall to
the care Of the citizens Mayor Balla I'd
in graceful words accepted tho keys on
! behalf Of the people Of the city and ex-
tended the thanks and appreciation OF his
constituents for the earnest work Of the
committee.
The Hon. Joseph Arend Def3oer, presi-
dent Of the National Life Insurance com
pany and Nontpelier's favorite son, was
then introduced as the speaker of the
day. Mr.. DeBocr's address was a scholar
lv one and was listened to with closest
attention. He said in part
| 1t was n great day in the annals
Of Washington county and the State
Of Vermont when Col. Jacob Davis.
the founder OF Montpelier carted his
family over the uncharted road from
Brookfeld and began a settlement at
the junction OF the Winooski and
North Branch rivers. 1924 years ago.
uac ap1fhpr rpar,orah DIV Whom
IN 1903 sixty years before the opening
| Of the first public school in the United
states. an academy was esta blished
beside one OF these streams. Other
days OF historical Importance were
those on which the scattered district
schools were merged into one system
| and when its sons set out for the
| Civil War. So the day OF the found
ing Of the capitol building and to-day
is another to be recorded in the an
nails Of the city as OF more than pass
ing importance
He then went on TO speak of what
the building stands for in the way
of civic rights and duties and to what
It should be consecrated. The needs
of the city were taken UP one by one.
| Progress, said the speaker. Is I'M
avoidable, but II can be swerved 70
or from right channels. The citys
problems were taken up and discussed
| in an open minded manner.
| In closing Mr.. DeBoer said: IT think
| Mr.. Mayor and gentlemen of the council,
! that in behalf of our people. not merely
the voters but tho women and children
as we'll. may congratulate you heartily
upon your entrance into the uses of its
| magnificent city building and in their
| behalf express the hope that your ad
miuistration Of our affairs during the
first year Of It's life will be fraught with
advantages to the city. AS for us. my
grateful that it IS given us TO dwell in
! such a city and such State and many
reasons why we should re-dedcate
ourselves TO an increased personal and
public service TO Montpelier, the city of
our love.
The Montpelier Military band was in
attendance and rendered several selec-
tons.
Tonight the hall was thrown open to
the people Of the city. without regard
to station. dress or ceremony and the
band orchestra furnished music for
dancing until a late hour Refreshments
were served during the evening and the
building was constantly thronSed with
people inspecting the various rooms
and either watching or joining with the
! dancers