The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-09-15
PLAYGROUND DECIDED
Property of Civic League So Long as
Used for Present Purposes

- F0~~~
The annual meeting of the Bennlng
ton Civic League was held last Friday
evening in the library. The following
officers were elected for the ensuing
year: President, Mrs. Warwick Car
penter; LIST vice-president, Miss Hill
da Pratt, End yice-president, Mrs.
Thornton F. Turner; corresponding
secretary. Mrs. Vim. II. Wills; treas
urer. Miss Maud Galusha; auditor
Mrs VIM. Burke; executive seere-
tary, Miss Mathilde Vossler
The secretary reported a year of
real progress and advance. The mem
bership has Increased during the year
from II to 122 and with it has come
new interest and solid backing
from the public. The civic league
with the board of trade are two or
ganizations in Bennington in which
to make the town better and bigger,
every family should be represented.
The successful community centre
conducted during the winter months
in connection with the work OF the
Young Woman's club has pointed out
great possibilities.
The summer sessions at the play.
ground, too, are evidences of growth
and advance. and have proved the
most successful in its history. There
has been an average attendance of
l6l children. who have been actively
engaged in the games and the total
numbe- of visitors to the playground
during the season, including specta-
tors, has reached nearly 1900.
A detailed and Illustrated report of
the work is being published and will
soon be ready for distribution. Ow-
ing TO the fact that last year, the de-
mand for these reports was greater
than the supply, this year several
hundred extra ones are being printed
that all interested in the work may
be able to procure one.
At the meeting, announcement was
also made of the deciding of the play
ground property by the John S. Hol.
den estate to the officers of the civic
league to have and to hold as long as
| It should be used for play and recrea-
ton purposes. This piece of land, in
Guiding the section held by Nash a
Hutchins. was formerly known as
The Flatiron" and was lent for FIVE
years for the trying out OF the play
| ground project During this period
OF trial, it came to be an established
fact that the small town as well as
the city has need of organized and
directed play and the playground al
| lied with the indoor recreation work
came TO fiji an important part in the
life OF the young people of Benning-
ton and made the community well
known in progressive circles.
Mrs. Jennie S. Holden purchased
the lot belonging to Nash & Hutchins
that it might be preserved and has
brought about the deciding OF the
whole making it a permanent gift.
Mrs. Holden also. several years ago,
had the grounds planted with shade
trees, which are fast becoming both
a source Of beauty and comfort on
ers have added a baseball diamond,
tennis court. shelter house and its
| present equipment
Many towns have converted dump
heaps into playg -ounds. few have any
grass OF trees. few are OF any size,
most have had long struggle in col
lecting funds to purchase the neces-
sary apparatus. Bennington. there
fore. is especially fortunate in thus
attaining with 50 little effort a play
ground so IA -ge. so attractive and so
well equipped. The civic league, on
behalf Of the Young people in Ben
tningion of today and the future
wishes thus publicly to voice its ap