St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1912-04-24

the number of associations in the
state there being 80 in ALL He was
unable to give the membership as
the local secretaries had failed to
report but there has been good
gain in the attendance at the Sun
day meetings and boys Bible class
es. He told of the meetings held
during the year and the work that
had been undertaken among the
foreigners which had been very
successful in giving instruction re-
garding the American language.
The various associations have 153
men ready to speak for the associa-
ton work without compensation. He
told of the success of the county as
sociations, Windsor county having
one of the best organizations
known. Eight towns in that county
have associations and work is being
done in other towns. There were
207 boys in the corn contest last
year, and the association is plan
ming for corn contest for
boys and a a potato contest for
girls the present season. In Addi-
son county IL towns have associa-
tions and the organization is doing
very successful work.
Among the recommendations of
the state committee were these:-
That first place be given to religious
work among the associations; that
$4,000 be raised for the work the
coming year and that an endow-
ment fund be established and the
work developed in the unoccupied
fields in Vermont.
Officers Elected.
The convention elected the foE
res F. H. Brooks. St.
Johnsbury.
Vice President, Prof. M. G. Bene-
dict, st. Johnsbury.
Secretary, H. E. Perkins, Wood
stock.
Assistant secretary, William A.
Moore, Montpelier Seminary.
The treasurer's report showed
the receipts of the year were $4,-
O7525 and the disbursements $3,-
5000, leaving balance on hand
of $22426.
Saturday Afternoon.
Largely attended MONDAY meet
ings were held at the Fairbanks
shops, and the American Hoe
and Fork Works conducted
by George L. Coxhead and DR.. John
Brown, Jr., of New York.
A very interesting address on
Rural Play and Recreation was de-
livered by DR.. Brown at the North
church at two o'clock and then sew
era1 conferences were held.
Improving Rural Life.
One of the most interesting ses-
sions of the convention was on Sat
urday evening in the chapel of the
North church when A. G. Hurd of
White River Junction gave an Illus
trated lecture on Making Rural
Life More Satisfying" The
speaker said he hoped to interest
the people in the possibility in YER
mont for community work especial
Iy in our rural development. Equip
ment is not so necessary in this
work as personality and leadership
1t is necessary to have body OF
active and devoted men with
which the association can cooperate
to make the improvements in rural
conditions possible. His experience
had convinced him that Vermont
had such a body of men. In Wind
sor county they are cooperating
with busy, practical men in their
undertakings and have found them
much more effective than equip
ment In that county they are also
planning work for the benefit of the
girls and he hoped the time would
son come when the Woman s
Christian Association would be
working with the Y. M. G. A. and
reaching people of both sexes in
the rural community. Expert-
ence has taught them that new or
CARNATIONS are not a necessity but
cooperation with organizations al
ready in the field like the grange
and the public school. They can CO.
operate with the church sup
plementing it's work.
After six years of study in a ty-
pical rural field he could state that
the people living on the farm and
back in the hill towns were eager
to cooperate with the association in
its work. The great need is the
getting together of the people and
uniting them for definite purposes.
They must be urged to more coop
Grafton. Equipment will never de-
velop rural communities but cooper
alton of all forces for good will.
You can get a better response from
the boy of the small town than from
the city. The boys of Vermont are
ready to take hold of the farm if
their parents will cooperate with
them and encourage them. In
Windsor county they had found par
ents who were discouraging their
boys from any active interest in the
farm and rural life. They had
found that the social life of the
| young people was sadly neglected
in the small towns but that the peo-
pie when united were willing to
cooperate in giving proper amuse-
ment.
He gave a series of views showing