The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-08-26
Be NING1ON c Oh NTY
VERMONT IMPROVEMENT
ASSOCIATION NEWS

bylaws and to nominate all Officer
except the president They are to re
port next Thursday evening at {
meeting of all the members. This
committee is also to work up thu
membership; at present forty-thre'
are enrolled.
Such things as the following were
discussed as work to be undertaken
by this organization: First, the i'm
provement of sidewalks and the con
struction of new sidewalks. Second
the dedication of the beautiful bridge
that is now being built at the Center:
Third, the repairing of horse sheds
that can be used by farmers thai
come to the village of trade: Fourth
the cleaning up of parks and street
corners, the placing of receptacles fol
waste paper, ETC.: Fifth, Fairgrounds
and recreation for winter and sum
mer: Sixth, the cutting of the weeds
along the highway: Seventh, an en-
tertainment to be worked up by the
three villages, Manchester, Manches
| ter Center and Manchester Depot, fol-
the purpose of creating sufficient
| fnnds to build a sidewalk between
these villages.
Those at this meeting expressed a
real interest and the members were
determined to take hold in an ener.
getic way. This association can dc
| much to create the Village Beautiful
The natural beauty is second to none
and there are large possibilities along
the stream that flows through the
village. Manchester Center can be
made one of the beautiful villages of
Vermont.
Civic Pride.
One of the greatest resources of
Vermont is its scenic beauty. One of
the necessary things is to stimulate
the tagging pride along these lines.
The good and beautiful side of Ben
nington County should be brought to
the front and advertised and the de-
fective side should quietly and
effectively be corrected. We ought
to learn to think much of ourselves.
We cannot expect others to think
more of us than We think of our
selves.
The organization of the various vii
lage improvement associations that
are now taking place is most encour-
aging. Let this work gain in enthu-
sasm and practical efficiency. Let
the people of Bennington county take
pride in keeping up appearances, IT
is well worth while. If town is i'll
kept and dirty. with neglected streets
and sidewalks, ugly spots and dump
heaps everywhere, in plain sight it
may be the best place to live in but II
does not look that way.
On the other hand a community
may take a just pride in its looks
as well as in the thrift and business
ability of its citizens, its superior To-
cation, or advantage OF any kind. Put
the best foot forward, take some pride
in the town you live in. If you know
of anything good to tell about It, show
it in the best light. If you know any
thing you can do to improve 1t don't
hesitate to improve II you know
anything bad about il don't advertise
this but do what you can to correct
it.
The Next Step
will naturally be the organizing of
the farmers between these villages
for the purpose of improving and CO
operating with the village improve
ment associations. Why should the
good work of cleaning up and beauti-
flying. in an organized way cease with
the boundary of our villages? Why
should we be content with the vii
lage Beautiful? Why not have a
County Beautiful" Why not have
the good work that is being done on
our roads lead to he improvement and
Identification of all the surroundings
adjacent to the roads? Let every
farmer examine his premises, fences,
houses, buildings of all sorts and the
land along the roads. Then let every
one clean, repair, paint, beautify and
cooperate in every way possible.
"The pride of the community land
we would add the county, could be
greatly stimulated If group of peo-
pie should look after road sides, riv.
er banks, waste places, deserted and
dilapideted buildings, weeds, low
spots, paths, dangerous places, mos
quito ponds, breeding places of in
| sects, stray dogs, horse-sheds, trees,
birds, wild flowers, telegraph and tel
ephone poles, cemeteries, church
grounds, school grounds, almshouse
grounds, picnic grounds. historic
places, patriotic events, bits of good
scenery, and to give advice on lawns.
back-yards and barn-yards and adver-
Using signs" This is quotation
from Liberty Bailey. chairman of the
County Life Commission appointed
by ex-President Roosevelt and a lead
er in the Country Life Movement, 4"
and is worthy of the careful thought
and consideration of everyone living
in rural regions.
Along with our economic efforts
that are bound to double our agricul-
tural resources. there should be a
general cleaning up and beautifying.
This will do much to increase the
price of real estate, to develop bus
mess and to create a new spirit ev-
erywhere. When one sees a farm
house that is not painted and build
ings tumbling down, the first inn
preston is that the farm does not
pay and that II must be a poor farm.
Simply a few dollars spent i'm paint
will send up the value of the average
acre on that farm. II We all join
forces here, people will at once say
as they pass through our county.
This prosperous place. These
people are enterprising. should
like to live here" Nature has done
everything to make our county one
OF the beauty spots on earth. Let
us cease to mar and begin to beautify
and thus cooperate with Nature.
III a stranger a millionaire. were
to dress as a tramp and come among
us. We would regard him as a tramu