The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-06-21
GREATER VERMONT
Remarkable Increase Of Commercial
and Civic Organizations.

Remarkable Increase of Commercial
and Civic Organizations.
The list of Vermont Commercial
and Civic Associations, which has
just been made in the office of The
Greater Vermont association after
months of correspondence contains
the names of fifty four organizations
which have been formed during the
last twenty years. While the move
men for commercial and civic organ
ization in Vermont began in the year
1898, more organizations have been
formed during the fifteen months
from February II, 1912 to May II,
1913 than during the preceding f1f-
teen years. Nothing is more signi-
fcant for Vermont's prosperity than
| the extension of this movement
throughout the state, the growing eff
| fciency of these associations for
commercial and civic progress, and
the increasing cooperation of these
local organizations for the good of
the state as whole.
The organizations given in the
list are arranged in several groups.
| There are thirty-five boards of trade
and business mems associations; six
village improvement societies; one
| town association; one town-group as
| ISOLATION; one county improvement
association; nine county agricultural
associations; and zone association
which, as a state board of trade,
aims to unite these organizations
! and individual citizens in work for
| general state development.
| Vermonters have come to recog-
| nize more and more the Importance
| of organization in civic and CONNER
! cial development. The two oldest
organizations, the Newport Board of
| Trade and the Lyndon Board of
| Trade, were formed on January 10,
1893 and March 2, 1896, anu these are
the only boards of trade now exist
ing which were at work before. 1900.
In 1901 two organizations were add
ed, the Bellows Falls Board of Trade,
and the Island Pond Business Mems
Association. The Hardwick Board
of Trade began its work in 1903, and
the Woodstock Improvement society
in 1904. Two organizations date
from 1905, the boards of trade at
Waterbury and Swanton. In 1908 the
list was increased by four commerce.
al. organizations, at Burlington, Nor
risville, Brattleboro and Windsor,
Ludlow followed with an organiza-
ton in 1907, and Springfield and
White River Junction in 1905
The year 1909 marks the begin
ming of the strong movement for or
ganization which has made the last
five years notable in Vermont his
tory, thirty nine of the fifty four or
CARNATIONS dating from this period.
In 1909 boards of trade were formed
at Montpelier, Barre, and Vergennes
and Improvement societies at East
Middlebury. Arlington, and Dandy.
Although only one organization. was
added in the year 1910 the St Johns
bury Commercial Club, there was re-
newed activity in 1911 as seen in the
formation of the Stowe Civic Club.
the Mortified Commercial Club, the
Bennington Board of Trade, and the
Burlington Merchants association.
But the year which stands out su-
premely as the organization year is
1912. Vermonters set about organic
ing, as though by common consent.
The record of this year surpassed
the total for the previous five years.
The impulse to secure greater unity
and energy in the administration of
affairs of common interest in the
commercial life of the state spread
| throughout the entire common
wealth. On the East organizations
were formed at Saxtons River, Lon
donderry. Bellows Falls, Woodstock,
South Royalton and Stowe; on the
west, at North Bennington, Dorset.
| Rutland, Fair Haven, and Essex
junction. Moreover there was a ten
dency not merely to organize the cit
liens OF cities and villages, but to
form associations whose fields of op-
GRAFTON should include much larger
territories. Hartford Forward is an
organization of the citizens of a town
The West River Valley between the
Green Mountains and the Connect
cut. The Remington county Yer
mont Improvement association has a
county for its province. The Great
er Vermont association seeks the de-
velopment of the state as a whole.
The year 1913 promises to surpass
the record of 1912. largely through
the organization of farmers of the
counties to secure the services OF
agricultural advisers and to improve
conditions in the business of arm
ing. Bennington and Windsor coun.
ties had organized in 1912. Wind
ham, Caledonia, Lamoille, Franklin,
Orange, Rutland, and Orleans have
followed their example during the
first four months of the presen,
year. Four commercial organizations
have been added to the list the
Benson Boosters club, the Bristol
Business Mems Association, the
Putney Board of Trade, and the
Poultney Business Mems Associa-
ton. With less than half OF the
year gone. more than half as many